Revenge
by moviefreak9940
Summary: Abby helped put a drug runner and murderer in jail, and now she's paying dearly for it. The NCIS team pushes their emotional limits to save her. Very McAbby. Post Hiatus but preSeason 4. Please read and review!
1. Something Feels Hinky

Disclaimer: Nothing NCIS-related belongs to me...yada yada...you know the drill 

A/N: Yeah, I know...this one is crazy short. But thats why I posted the second chapter immediately. This is more than likely to be a really long story, and I hope you'll stick with it. Enjoy!

* * *

"Howard Garrett...based upon your guilty conviction, and the futher testimony brought forth by Miss Sciuto, it is this court's decision that you are hereby sentenced to life in prison, with no opportunity for parole, for the transportation and sale of cocaine, and for the murder of Kara Monaghan." 

The tall, blonde, well-built Garrett stood emotionless as the judge rendered her decision. Murmurs swept across the gallery and the judge banged the gavel to quiet them down. Garrett's eyes darkened as the bailiff handcuffed his wrists and led him from the courtroom.

Abby and McGee sat in the gallery, hand in hand. Abby was tense, and she couldn't quite place why. She watched Garrett leave the courtroom and a chill ran down her spine and physically shook her body.

"You okay?" McGee asked, squeezing her hand.

Abby shook herself lightly from her thoughts. "Yeah...yeah, I'm fine. It's just...something just feels really--"

"Hinky?" McGee offered.

Abby giggled. "Yeah."

"You're in your court clothes. No wonder you're hinky," McGee said, grinning.

"Well, that's true. But it's just..." she trailed off and she glanced back to the door where Garrett had left through.

They both stood up, and McGee put his arm around her shoulders reassuringly. "Abby, he's in jail. For life. What could be hinky?"

Abby smiled, then leaned up and quickly kissed him. "I guess you're right."

"Come on, Tony wants us to get back."

They shared another quick kiss, then started to walk out arms intertwined and with Abby's head on McGee shoulder. As they left the courtroom, they were unaware of two pairs of eyes, full of malice, follow them out of the room.


	2. The Calm Before the Storm

About an hour and a half later, both McGee and Abby walked into the squadroom. They had made a stop down in Abby's lab so she could change out of her dreadful court clothes and into more appropriate, not to mention comfortable, attire. When they exited the elevator, they found both Tony and Ziva swamped under mounds of paperwork.

Noticing their entrance, Tony immediately looked up and asked, "How'd court go today Probie?"

McGee rolled his eyes and started to answer, but Abby cut him off.

"Ya know Tony," she retorted with a playful smile. "Timmy is your senior agent now. You can stop calling him 'Probie'."

Tony laughed. "Screw technicalities," he joked back. "He's always gonna be 'Probie'. It's like I said to him last year: I'll always outrank him. Besides, we don't have any fresh probationary meat around here yet."

"Well, whatever," McGee muttered as he sat down at his desk. He added aloud, "I kinda like the way we are now. You're just anxious to get someone else to pick on."

"Of course!" Tony laughed. "What kind of boss would I be?"

"But, I swear to God Tony, if you slap the back of my head one more time, I'll kick your ass. Boss or no boss," McGee said, opening a folder on his desk and beginning his own paperwork.

Abby, still standing in the midst of the desk, giggled. "I'll hold him down for you Tim." McGee smirked then winked up at her.

"So how _did_ court go Abs?" Tony asked.

"Went as well as we hoped. He got life," Abby replied.

"With no parole," McGee added.

"Good, he deserved it. Great job Abby."

"It wasn't me who got him, it was all of you...but sure, I'll take the credit for it," she said with a smirk. "Hey Tony, is there anything you need me to do in the lab?"

Tony did a quick scan of his desk, looking for any possible open cases or needs to use his forensics expert.

Seeing none, Tony replied, "I've got nothing, it's been really quiet lately. Maybe all the bad guys heard there was a new sheriff in town and they all ran like hell."

At this Ziva popped her head up. "Yeah, because they are more scared of _you_ than they were of Gibbs," she agreed sarcastically.

Both Tony and Ziva opened theirs mouths, ready for their bantering argument, but Abby interviened.

"Children!" she cried, grinning from ear to ear. "Stop it...play nice, or I'll give you a time out. Now, go back to your paperwork."

Once they did, Abby walked over to the only unoccupied desk...Gibbs' desk. After that day when Gibbs left them, it seemed the team made an unspoken pact to keep things as normal as they used to be. They all stayed at their own desks...only their titles changed. Well, everyone but Ziva's. Abby couldn't help but grin over that little fact.

Abby sat in the lowered computer chair and sighed. She missed Gibbs terribly. It had only been a few months since the entire NCIS team had their worlds turned upside down. Gibbs having been blown up and the resulting amnesia was traumatic enough for the group, but when he told them that he was leaving NCIS forever...Abby felt her heart break in a way that she knew it could never heal.

Director Sheppard had given them that "post-agent" pep talk a couple days after Gibbs left, but it didn't seem to help much. However, knowing that the Director once had a fling with Gibbs somehow made the "talk" easier. She was hurting just as much as the rest of the team was...Morrow would have given the speech cold, and that would have pissed Abby off more.

Agents come and go, that was the norm in their world. They learned that the hard way with Pacci...and now with Gibbs. But Gibbs wasn't just an agent to Abby and the rest of the team. He was their leader, their father of sorts. They all loved him, and in his own special, stoic, marine way, he loved them back. Abby frowned sadly. She just remembered...her birthday was in a few weeks and Gibbs wasn't going to be there to take her out to dinner the night before.

Abby felt tears begin to form, and she blinked them back furiously. She had turned on the computer and was now looking at Gibbs' desktop. She smiled...it was an enlarged Marine crest. She searched through his programs and found the Freecell game she was looking for. She pulled out her mp3 player, put in her headphones, and began to play.

A few hours later, the team had finished a good bit of their paperwork, and were now heading home. Ziva left first, saying her good nights to her team mates. McGee turned off his desk light, then walked over to Abby and extended his hand to her. She turned off the computer and the light, and took it.

"You leaving yet Tony?" Abby asked as she and McGee walked by his desk on their way to the elevator.

"Not quite...got couple more things left to do," Tony replied. "You two go on. I'll see you in the morning."

"All right, night Tony," McGee said. "Don't stay up too late."

"You know me--" Tony said.

_"I do my best work at night,"_ McGee and Abby chimed along with Tony. They had heard this a thousand times at least.

Tony laughed, then shooed them away.

Abby and McGee walked together to each other's car, parked convieniently right next to each other, arm in arm and talking. Once they got to Abby's hearse, McGee slowed to a stop, and brought Abby closer to him. He leaned down and kissed her. Abby kissed back fervently and it soon became more heated and passionate. When the broke apart, Abby found herself pinned against the side of her hearse, McGee mere inches from her face, and both breathing heavily.

Abby giggled and whispered, "I take it then you're wanting to come over tonight?"

McGee smiled. "You know I would love to, but Tony needs us to come in early. Just agents, you can come in normally."

"Awww, come on Tim," Abby whined, fingering his necktie and using it to pull him closer. "It's just ten minute longer drive, you could still get there on time."

"It's ten the way you drive," McGee whispered. He was so close to her, and it took what remaining self control he still had left not to just take her right there in the parking lot. "I want to come over--" Abby leaned up and kissed him. When they separated, Tim gasped, "I _really_ want to come over. I just can't tonight. But, I _promise_ that I'll spend the entire weekend at your place."

Abby pouted, but agreed. "It's a date. Call me tonight before you go to bed?"

"Don't I always?"

"Yes," Abby said, grinning. They shared one more soft kiss, then went to their separate cars.

Abby didn't realize how tired she really was until she got home and crashed on her sofa. After vegging on the couch for twenty minutes, Abby got up and went into the bathroom where she washed her face. She then went into her bedroom and changed into a pair of black pajama pants (with white skull and crossbones, of course) and a black spaghetti strap shirt to wear to bed. She trudged back to her living room, by way of her kitchen. She made herself a small bowl of cereal and then sat in front of her television and muched away. Not ten minutes later, her telephone rang.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey sweetie," she heard McGee answer.

They talked together for a long time, but soon both Abby and McGee were starting to yawn sleepily.

"It's getting late," McGee said. "You should go to bed."

"Yeah, I guess," Abby replied, stifling yet another yawn. "You know, now that I think about it, I think I will come in early with you. I'm sure I could find something to do in the lab."

"Sounds good. Do you want me to come get you?"

"Works for me."

"Okay then, I'll be there at six," McGee replied.

"Night McGee!" Abby said cheerfully.

She heard him chuckle lightly through the phone. "Good night, Abby. I'll see you in the morning."

They both hung up, and Abby then stood up, turned off the lights in the living room and climbed into bed. Abby fell asleep almost the moment her head hit the pillow, where she dreamt peacefully for several hours...mainly of McGee. Nothing like the "Tony" rated dreams, but just a sweet montage of images of the two of them on picnics, in Abby's lab, or on one of their sofas. If her dream were a movie, a bubblegum pop song would be playing in the background.

Around 3am, Abby was stirred awake by some unknown force. Lying on her back, her eyes fluttered open, then suddenly jerked wide in panic when she saw two unfamiliar faces standing over her.

She screamed.

* * *

To Be Continued 


	3. Discoveries

Abby lay motionless on a cold, hardwood floor in a dimly lit, vacant room. She began to stir, and she moaned painfully as she drifted back into consciousness. She opened her eyes, but her head was too fuzzy for her to register her unfamiliar surroundings. Her head hurt. Abby brought her hand up to her throbbing temple, and she felt the sticky ooze of clotting blood that was making her face tighter by the second.

She groaned as she sat up, but a wave of dizziness swept over her and she fell back and leaned against the wall behind her. She sudden shock of the cold wall against her semi-clothed torso, seemed to snap her senses back to action. Abby had no idea where she was. Nor did she know how she got there. Abby held her still painful head as she tried to remember what had happened the night before.

_Abby's eyes flickered open, then snapped open in panic as she saw two unfamiliar faces looming over her bed. _

_She screamed. _

_The two men pounced down on Abby, but she was too fast for them. She darted, quick as lightning, between their grasps and she sprinted for her bedroom door. The bigger of the two intruders grabbed Abby around the waist from behind, and he slung her down to the floor, nearly clearing the top of Abby's dresser in her decent. She hit the floor hard, the back of her head cracking against the wall, but she was still sharp. _

_The bigger man advanced on her and Abby instinctively kicked up as hard as she could, nailing him sqarely in the crotch. He doubled over in pain and Abby tried again to make a break for it. She made it out of her room and headed straight for the front door to her apartment, knocking over chairs, lamps, anything she could that would slow down her assailants and help her escape. _

_She reached her door, and she fumbled over the deadbolt, her hands shaking with fear and adrenaline. Precious seconds wasted, the smaller intruder had already scaled the debris on the floor. He grabbed at Abby and she fought back hard, her black nails scratching. He shoved her backward and the back of her head cracked, once again, on the wall behind her. Starting to dizzy, she still pushed back, trying desperately to wrench herself from his grasp. _

_Without warning, there was an explosion of pain from her right temple and she crashed to the floor in a crumpled heap. The last thing Abby saw was the large intruder standing over her, holding her side table lamp, before fading away into darkness. _

Oh...**that's** what happened. Abby tried to shaked the foggy cobwebs from her throbbing head, but a big wave of nausea swept over her. She was concussed...she had to be. She cracked her head--the paused to remember--three times. Still sitting on the floor, Abby scanned the room slowly. She was the only thing inside that room, save for the little dust bunny in the far corner. It was just a plain hardwood floor with simple white walls, but the one variant in the monotony was the door. It was painted a brilliantly deep blood red. Under normal circumstances, Abby would have thought it very cool...now, it creeped her out.

Abby found a knot in the hardwood floor opposite of her and started to stare at in intently, blinking repeated trying to clear her head and gain back her focus. It worked. Her vision was just beginning to settle back into focus when she startled violently when the door was basically kicked open.

She instictively froze. The two men who attacked her in her apartment were standing in the doorway, looking pretty pissed.

"Get up," he hissed.

She obeyed silently, her legs shaking as she did so. She pressed herself as far against the wall as possible as the large man walked toward, and she back away into the corner the closer he got to her. The other, smaller man followed behind.

The large man leaned in to within an inch of her face and whispered, "Do you know who I am?"

In typical Abby fashion, she scanned him up and down, then stared defiantly into his eyes. "A linebacker gone bad?"

He tilted his head to the side, chuckled slightly, then threw a hard, fast punch square into Abby's gut. She cried out and fell to her knees, clutching her stomach and gasping in pain.

"Get up!" he screamed.

Abby didn't want to, but she even more so didn't want her kidnapper to see her fear. She slowly stood back up, still holding her painful stomach, and stared right back into his eyes.

"Do you know who _he_ is?" he whispered once more, motioning to the smaller man standing behind him.

She glanced behind to get a good look at who he was talking about. "The waterboy?"

Without laughing this time, he threw out his arm as fast as lightning and grasped the back of her neck, squeezing painfully. He pressed his face to mere inches from hers and growled menacingly, "My name is Jonathan Garret, and this my brother Ben."

Abby's eyes grew wide as the realization hit her. "Oh God..."

Jonathan nodded. "That's right...Howard Garret is our brother. And I do believe it was _you_ who put him in jail. That means..." he paused to clench her neck painfully, causing her to cry out..."that for however long you last in this room, you're gonna go through hell."

He threw her back against the corner, and he and Ben walked out of the room, slamming the blood red door behind them. Abby slid down the wall to the floor and let out a scared, shuddering breath. The pains in her head and stomach were the farthest from her mind as her mind was reeling. Abby Scuito prided herself on being a person who didn't fright easily...never to back down when confronted. She had to admit however, she was terrified to her core.

She wiped away a single tear, and she began to pray silently.

* * *

At exactly 6:00am, McGee knocked on Abby's apartment door. He waited about a minute, then he knocked again. Smiling and thinking that Abby must still be getting ready in the back and unable to hear him knock, McGee reached into his pocket and pulled out his keychain. He put in her apartment key and turned the lock.

He opened the door, but it stopped short with a thud. Confused, McGee poked his head through the small space. His eyes widened when he saw several lamps and a chair strewn about the floor. He shoved the door hard, and it gave away just enough for him to slip through. There he saw the full extent of the damage done on the inside. Everything was a mess...like a tornado blew through. Lamps broken on the floor, splintered kitchen chairs, overturned end tables and recliner.

Immediately, McGee drew his weapon. "Abby?" McGee called.

No answer. McGee was nervous...extremely nervous. Pistol poised and ready, McGee made his way throughout her apartment, shutting the door behind him and carefully stepping over the debris on her floor. He searched every room, panic increasing with every step...pulling back shower curtains, checking in the closets, Abby no where to be found. He got to her bedroom and gasped when her saw her bedcovers thrown off the bed and all her picture frames and perfume bottles shattered on the floor below her dresser.

Finding no sign that she was still in her room, McGee yelled, "Abby!" He was desperate for some response.

He ran from her room, scared out of his mind, and into the living room. He stopped short and his heart jumped to his throat at what he saw. Blood...Abby's blood. There was a thick pool of it on the carpet in front of the front door with a splatter and drip trail on the wall behind the door.

"Oh, my God," McGee cried, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed the number for Tony's desk.

"NCIS, Tony DiNozzo."

"Tony! It's McGee--"

"Probie! You remember that I need you to come--"

"Tony, shut up!" McGee cried. "I'm at Abby's and she's gone. Kidnapped. And she's hurt, there's blood everywhere."

In the NCIS bullpen, Tony stood straight up, causing Ziva to look up across the room.

"Is her apartment secure?" Tony asked, going into full agent mode.

"Yes," McGee breathed. "I checked it out, it's clear."

"Okay McGee," Tony said, grabbing his gear from the side of his desk. "Sit tight, we're on our way."

* * *

To Be Contined...


	4. Connections

BIG A/N: I am such an anal retentative dork, lol. I re-read thru my chapters and realized I made at least 3 continuity errors. So I've gone back to change them so that everything makes sense.

* * *

"Ziva, sketch and shoot the apartment," Tony started spatting out orders. "McGee, bag and tag anything that could remotely pin down the bastards who did this. Ducky...you know what to do."

"Yes, I do, unfortunately," Ducky replied, pulling out his sampling bag, and beckoning Jimmy to his side. "Mr. Palmer, get a core sampling of the blood. Hopefully we can rule out that it doesn't belong to Abigail."

"Yes Doctor," Jimmy replied solemnly.

"I'll lockdown and secure the hallways and talk to Abby's neighbors. Maybe they heard something," Tony said, heading toward the hall. "Yell out if you see anything."

McGee pulled on a pair of latex gloves, biting back the sick nausea threatening to take over. He had to focus on the job...he had to remember that he was an NCIS senior agent investigating a crime scene. Not his girlfriend's apartment with her blood on the floor, and with her no where to be found.

He grabbed a large evidence bag, shook it open, and walked slowly toward the front door. Kneeling down, he carefully picked up a pale blue, Chinese pattern lamp...his Christmas present to her just a few months ago...and his stomach dipped once again when he saw a distinct blood spatter on the bottom corner. He had seen Ziva snap a picture of it as they entered, so it was clear to bag.

Sealing it up in the evidence bag, McGee took it over to Jimmy. "Here," he said, handing it to him, "there's another blood sample on this. Put it with the rest."

Jimmy looked up and gave a quick, sad glance at the bag. He recognized the lamp...he had helped McGee pick it out. "Sure, Agent McGee, I'll take care of it."

McGee gave a small nod of gratitude, then left the living room on his way to Abby's room. He met up with Ziva, who was just coming from taking snapshots of the destruction inside.

Ziva reached her arm out and stopped McGee and whispered to him under her breath, "You okay?"

McGee sighed, finally able to release some, albeit small, emotional energy. He then wispered back, "No, but I've got a job to do."

Ziva smilied and patted his forearm sympathetically. She watched him pause and draw a strengthening breath before stepping into Abby's trashed room. She continued back down the hall into the living room. She turned her NCIS cap backwards and put the camera up to her eye, snapping shots of everything in the room. The broken kitchen chairs, the overturned lounge chair, the blood spatters on the wall and floor, and the door.

Noticing something, Ziva called out, "McGee, come look at this."

Out in the hallway, now secured, Tony knocked at Apartment 49C right next door to Abby's. He waited, drumming nervously on the door jam, until a man on the other side opened it up until the chain stopped it.

"Can I help you?" the man asked.

Tony pulled out his badge. "I'm with NCIS, can I speak to you for a moment, please?"

The man nodded, shut the door, undid the chain lock, then exited to stand with Tony.

"Hey there," Tony said, familiarity beginning to set it. He'd seen this man once before on one of his many times visiting Abby. "It's Greg, right?"

Greg smiled. "Yeah, Greg Simms," he replied jovially, extending his hand. "And you're Tony."

"That's right," Tony replied, shaking Greg's hand.

Greg then noticed the activity going on in Abby's apartment through the open door. "What's going on? Is everything okay?"

"Actually, that's why I want to talk to you," Tony said, leading Greg away from the door and down to the other end of the hall. "Were you in your apartment all last night?"

"Yeah," Greg said. "Why? Is Abby hurt?"

"How well do you two know each other?"

Greg shrugged. "We're friends, I guess. She looks after my dogs when I'm out of town, and I go over there whenever she needs a bug killed."

"Did you hear anything during the night?"

Thinking back, Greg replied, "I heard some talking from outside, but that's not unusual. Guys come home at all hours around here."

"And when was this?" Tony asked.

"Um...around three. I had gotten up to get some water. Oh, and I heard a scream from Abby's."

Tony's eyes widened. "And that didn't bother you?"

"That's happened at Abby's a lot actually. The first couple times, I would go over to see if she was all right, but it was just her TV. I just assumed that it was the same thing last night," Greg relayed, feeling guilty for not realizing the problem. "What's happened to Abby?"

"She was kidnapped. We're looking for who might have done it. That talking you heard, were they men?"

"Oh God..." Greg whispered. "Oh, um...yeah, they were men. Two of them. Oh God, I should have checked on her..."

Tony tried to bring Greg's focus back. "Did they say anything specific?"

Greg shook his head. "I couldn't understand them. They were two rooms and several walls away, it was all muffled."

"Tony, come look at this!" Ziva and McGee were standing out in the hallway, crouched down and looking at the doorknob and deadbolt of the door.

Tony led Greg back to his apartment and handed him a card from his jacket pocket. "Call this number if you remember anything else."

After making sure he was inside, Tony moved next to Ziva and began looking at the door as well.

"What am I looking at guys?"

"No sign of forced entry," McGee said, moving his gloved hand across the deadbolt. "

Ziva continued, "If it were picked or jimmied, there would be visible scratch marks at the keyhole."

"So whoever did this knew Abby," Tony voiced aloud.

"It would appear that way," Ziva said.

"Not necessarily," McGee said, a thought dawning on him. He jumped up to his feet and reached above his head and gently felt the top of the doorway. McGee sighed harshly and brought his hands back to his side. "I thought so...her extra key is gone."

"So, the kidnappers used her spare key to get into her apartment, kidnap Abby, then locked it back behind them when they left?" Tony asked.

"To make it look like nothing had happened. It was locked when I got here this morning," McGee replied, his voice hollow.

Tony took a quick glance at McGee. His face was sunken, weighted down my anger, fear...and guilt.

"Okay team," Tony said quietly. "Let's go ahead and finish processing and get back to the squadroom."

Abby sat in the far corner in her holding cell, her knees tight against her chest. She had ample time to search her surroundings and try to figure out where she was. This wasn't a warehouse...the floor would have been concrete. This was a standward hardwood floor. She felt the walls...sheet rock. Although her room had no windows, she could hear a car passing every now and then. She was in a house, she had to be.

She was hungry. She had only been in that room for about 12 hours, but she the last time she ingested anything other than a Caff-Pow was two days earlier. Damn trial...it always preoccupied every second of her day. She was always too busy and too nervous to eat when she had to testify in court. Her stomach rumbled painfully.

She heard the doorknob rattle and she drew her knees closer to her as her stomach flew up to her throat. She stared out of the corner of her eye as the door swung open and Ben stood in the doorway. He seemed jittery...Abby made a mental note of it. Ben remained stationary and addressed Abby from the doorway.

"Are you hurt?" he asked angrily. Abby could tell though, that he was trying the best he could to sound intimidating, but it wasn't quite up to standard yet.

"A little," Abbt spat back. "Why do you care?"

"Jon just wants to know if you're _comfortable_," Ben replied sarcastically. "Can I get you anything?" Damn...if nothing else, he was good at sarcasm.

Without thinking, Abby muttered, "Some food would be nice."

"What was that!" Crap, he heard her. Her head snapped up and saw him rushing toward her. "What did you say!" He came down on her and he flinched back as he raised his hand to strike her.

It didn't come. Abby dared a peek from behind her knees. Ben still had his fist raised, but it was shaking slightly. His face was blached. He let out a sigh and dropped his arm.

What was this? Mercy...compassion? Abby raised her head and looked into Ben's. She could see the battle of his conscience ever-present in his face. She knew that this could be the best shot she had on getting out of this situation alive. She slowly stretched out her legs and turned to face Ben.

"This wasn't you're idea was it?" she asked quietly. "You didn't want to do this?"

Ben glaced cautiously toward the door then shook his head.

Yes! A connection!

"This was Jonathan's idea?" Ben nodded shortly.

"Look," Abby said, trying to engage him further, "you are better than this, Ben. It doesn't have to be this way, and you're the one that can end all of this."

"How?"

"Let me go," she replied. "Help me get out of here, and I swear to you that no one will come after you two."

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!"

Both Abby and Ben leapt a mile from the bellow coming from the open door. Jonathan was glowering from the doorway and absolutely livid. He rushed and went straight for his younger brother. He pulled him up by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall.

"You idiot!" Jonathan screamed at Ben. "What the hell do you think you're doing!"

Jonathan let a few more tirades loose on him that would have made a sailor blush. Abby was completely freaked out and her heart was beating a mile a minute. Her eyes locked on the door to the room, swung wide open. With a quick upward glance to see if Jonathan was still busy, she took off like a shot towards her escape.

Jonathan caught sight of her out of the corner of her eye and, yelling more obscenities, dove for her. He grabbed hold of her ankles, taking Abby down hard. Her arm was caught up under her at an awkward angle and she felt her wrist explode with pain when she hit the floor. Her face made contact with hardwood and she soon tasted blood.

"Ben, shut the damn door!" Jonathan screamed while trying to pin down and stay Abby's flailing legs.

As Ben ran to do so, Jonathan was able to flip Abby over so she was flat on her back and staring up at him. "Where do you think you're going?"

Abby began to squirm and fight to get free, but Jonathan let his hand fly, striking her hard across the face. He scooted forward so that he was completely straddling her waist, keeping her pinned. He then started a mass deluge of strikes to her head and face. Closed hand, open hand, back hand...all equally strong and all equally damaging. Weakened and delirious, Abby didn't notice her assailant get up off of her, but she soon saw a slight fuzzy face inches from her own.

"You do not talk to him, do you understand?" he yelled menacingly. "You're stuck here, and no sweet talking is gonna get you out!"

Abby coughed and groaned in pain and the rolled over to her side. Jonathan began to leave toward the door, but soon slowed to a stop. Without warning, he whipped around, made three bounding steps, and kicked Abby hard in her ribcage. She cried out and clutched her chest as the wind was knocked out of her and she felt one of her ribs break...maybe even two. Jonathan then just laughed maliciously and walked toward the door, shoving Ben through the opening, then slamming the door with a recounding thud.

Beaten and bloody, Abby continued to clutch her chest as she was able to start breathing once again. She knew at least one rib was broken and that her wrist was pretty screwed up, but all she could do at that moment in time was just curl up into the fetal position and sob hysterically. They were going to kill her, she was sure of it. Even if McGee and everyone else was out looking for her, she knew she wouldn't be alive when they found her. She was going to die.


	5. Acceptance

BIG A/N: This is another chapter I edited for my continuity.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon before Abby's apartment had been bagged, tagged, photographed, and processed. The team drove back in silence, Tony driving, Ziva as the passenger, and McGee sitting in the back right behind her. He sat hunched forward, resting his face against a clenched fist, staring vacantly out his window. Occasionally, Tony and Ziva would both glance back to see how McGee was. Each time, his face was the same. Set like stone with shock, worry, and the debilitating, guilt.

The van was soon parked back at headquarters with the equipment and evidence properly distributed and locked away. In the basement, McGee was leaning against the side of the NCIS van with his arms folded across his chest. He watched as Tony leaned forward and allowed the security pad to perform its retinal scan. The elevator doors opened and the three of them bade Jimmy and Ducky goodbye and stepped inside.

When the doors opened up to the squadroom Tony stepped out first saying, "Okay guys, it's been a long day, I know. But, we've still got more to do. Campfire in five minutes."

"I, um..." McGee said softly, wavering ever so slightly. "I'll be back...I gotta...gotta go to the bathroom." With that, McGee made his way quickly to the men's room and disappeared behind the door, Tony and Ziva watching his retreating back.

They stared at each other for a second, then Tony whispered, "Go on and get ready, I'll be there in a second." Ziva nodded then left to move the chairs for the campfire.

Tony walked slowly toward the bathroom door. Something wasn't right. He leaned his ear to the door, trying to hear what was going on behind it. Hearing only muffled sounds, Tony slowly opened the door and stuck his head through the small space. His face dropped sadly and Tony fully entered the bathroom and locked the deadbolt behind him. They needed some privacy.

He turned back and saw McGee kneeling in the last stall, retching into the toilet bowl. Quietly, Tony crossed to his friend's side and squatted down beside him. He helped hold McGee up and patted his back as he continued to vomit. When McGee was finished, he reached a shaky hand and flushed the toilet. He pulled himself up from the floor, with Tony's help, and staggered to the nearest sink. He cupped his hands and began to drink down the cool water, rinsing his mouth, and splashing his face.

"You okay?" Tony asked softly.

McGee spit into the sink and replied breathlessly, "No!"

"How long have you been holding that in?"

Rubbing his face, McGee replied, "Since about 6:15 this morning."

McGee slowly sat down on the floor, his back pressed against the cold wall, breathing slowly. Tony bent down and joined him. McGee stared at the floor, feeling like he would be sick once again.

"I'm sorry," he whispered finally, breaking the silence.

"Don't be," Tony replied almost immediately. "This is hard on all of us, but I know especially for you."

"I just can't get those pictures out of my head. Her room...her blood. Tony, she's hurt, she's alone, and she's scared, and I don't know what to do."

"I know," Tony said, "We're all feeling the same way."

"It's my fault," McGee said sadly.

"What?"

"It's my fault. I should have been there last night."

"What are you talking about? How?"

"She wanted me to come home with her last night," McGee said, ignoring Tony's instictive raised eyebrow. "I told her no because you wanted us to come in early--I'm not blaming you Tony," he added hastily. "And it takes longer to get to here from Abby's than my place. But when we were on the phone last night, she said she wanted to come in with me today...so I offered to pick her up."

"That's why you were there so early today..."

"I don't understand," McGee continued choked, "Why was I willing to drive the extra way to pick her up this morning and not just stay last night?"

"You need to stop torturing yourself," Tony said, turning his body around to face McGee directly. "If anyone's to blame, it's me."

'How the hell is it _your_ fault?"

"When Gibbs left," Tony said, "he didn't just leave in me as head of this team, he left me has head of this _family_."

McGee raised his head slightly, still avoiding full eye contact. "What?"

Tony scoffed. "He askes 'what'. You know full well how close this team is with each other. Ducky's our grandfather, Gibbs is _still_ our father, Ziva's worked her way up to step-sister status, Jimmy's the black-sheep third cousin--"

"Be nice..."

Tony laughed. "All right, all right, the life-of-the-party cousin. Even you are like the brother I never had."

McGee finally tilted his head to look at Tony. "I thought you had a brother," he said puzzledly.

Smirking and shrugging, Tony replied, "Yeah...I didn't like him."

McGee gave small smile and began to chuckle. Tony started to laugh along, he himself glad to be able to left off some emotional energy after the day's events. Their laughter echoed in the large bathroom for several seconds before subsided into silence once more.

"My point is Tim," Tony continued, making McGee look up from the floor, "We're tighter than blood here, and it's _my_ job to take care of _my_ people. Abby is my baby sister, I love her that much. I'm going do whatever it takes to get her back, because I'll be damned if we lose another one of our team."

McGee sighed sadly again as he remember everyone whom they had lost the past 2 years. Kate, Pacci, Gibbs...and now Abby was close to being added to that list.

"I just can't help think that if I were there, I would've been able to protect her."

"Tim, listen to me," Tony said, reaching out and clasping McGee's shoulder. "This is _not_ your fault. We don't know what these bastards wanted. If you were there, we could just as easily be looking for you too, or putting your body down in Ducky's morgue. This way, you are here to help get her back. That's what I need from you now, Tim. I need you to focus on the job at hand now. This is Boss-Tony talking now," Tony said semi-sternly.

McGee smiled lightly at Tony's self-made title.

"Listen to me, McGee. I know there are going to be moments when I know _I'm _going to want to run and throw up. I love Abby very much too, and this is very personal to all of us. What will help her the most is that we all put everything else out of our heads and focus on catching those bastards and getting her back." Tony got up from the floor and stood in front of McGee.

"You ready?" He asked, stretching out his hand.

McGee looked up at it, nodded his head resolutely, and reached up and took Tony's outstretched hand. Tony pulled him up, then patted his shoulder reassuringly. They walked toward the bathroom door and Tony unlocked it once they reached it.

"Tony, you wont say anything about this will you?"

Tony grinned broadly and clapped his shoulder again. "No, I wont. Your secret's safe with me, buddy."

Tony opened the door and both men made their way to the squadroom, where Ziva had pulled the chairs around to Tony's desk, and was sitting in her own. She looked up at Tony, her question expressed by raised eyebrows. Tony gave a quick and subtle nod, then sat behind his desk, McGee sitting between the other two agents.

Pulling out his dictaphone and turning it on, Tony addressed the group. "Okay team, what do we know?"

"We have two unknown assailants," Ziva began.

"Who got into Abby's apartment using her spare key on top of her doorway," McGee added.

"So that means we have a partial who and a how, we just need to know why and the rest of the who," Tony said. "Who could possibly have any problems with?"

McGee looked up suddenly. "You don't think this could be her ex Michael again, could it?"

"No, he's still jail. I checked on him first thing," Ziva replied.

"The only thing I can think of is to look back on any cases Abby's helped us on. There's been some heavy stuff," Tony said.

The team was suddenly started by Tony's telephone ringing.

Tony sighed, then picked up the dictaphone, saying, "Campfire paused." He clicked a button, set it down, and hit the speaker button on his phone. "NCIS, Tony DiNozzo."

"Are you missing something, Agent DiNozzo?" a menacing growl asked on the other end.

Tony stood up swiftly and leaned over the phone. "Who the hell are you?"

All six eyes widened and all three of their stomachs plummeted when they heard a familiar voice shrieking with fear in the backgroud.

_"Tony! Get me out of here! Please!"_


	6. Pain

Disclaimer: Same as before...none of it's mine. _

* * *

__"Tony! Get me out of here! Please!"_

Leaping up from his seat, McGee yelled, "Abby!"

Tony threw out his hand and caught McGee's shoulder and glared at him with his finger up to his mouth for silence.

"Tim!" Abby screamed from far away, but it was soon followed an audible savage blow and a cry out of pain that made McGee grimace.

"Shut up, bitch!" the voice yelled over the phone and Tony tightened his grip on McGee's shoulder to keep his emotions in check, even while a wave of boiling hate swept through him.

Keeping his voice level, Tony asked, "Who am I speaking to?"

"Right now that's none of your concern," he answered.

"Put Abby on the phone," McGee said, nodding to Tony that he was acting as an agent.

"To prove what? That she's still alive? Did you not just hear her screaming right before my brother kicked her?" the voice replied with a thick layer of malicious sarcasm. "You know, she might have another broken rib."

An idea came to Tony and he snapped his head toward McGee. Tony pointed to McGee's desk, mouthing the words, "_track him"_. McGee nodded fervently and rushed to his desk, pushing his chair, then sliding into his and rolled right up to his computer. He began to type furiously, then gave a thumbs up to signal that the trace had begun.

"What is it that you want?" Ziva asked. They had to stall him long enough for McGee to get a lock on him.

There was a wry chuckle. "I have it. You're precious Abby has done us wrong...and I'm going to make damn sure that she suffers for it."

That made McGee look up but Tony motioned for him to look back at the tracking process.

"What did she do to you? What are you talking about?" Tony asked aggressively.

"I would take a closer look at the Garret case if I were you."

With that, the line went dead.

"Damn it!" McGee cried, kicking his desk. "I had 10 seconds left before he was locked."

"Did you at least get an area for where they are?" Tony asked.

"No..." McGee sighed. "Sorry Tony."

"Garret case?" Ziva asked. "Isn't that what Abby just testified for?"

"Yeah," McGee said, "she added evidence for his sentencing hearing yesterday."

"Okay guys," Tony said, running his hand through his hair worriedly, "let's break out that case file."

* * *

Abby had been so close to dozing off when her cell door had been kicked open again. Jonathan had stormed in, grabbed her by her hair, and started to drag her out of the room. She screamed painfully and struggled to get free, but his grip was too strong and her reach was too short. She was pulled down a long hallway and into a open, entrance area...her arms and back burning from the friction. She was right...she _was_ in a house. Ben was waiting at the end of the hallway, and Abby was thrown down at his feet. She landed hard, wincing loudly as she clutched her injured wrist, but when Ben pulled out a pistol aimed for Abby's head, she silenced instantly and stared at the floor fearfully. 

As she saw Jonathan reach for a telephone, her thoughts were drawn inward. She was in so much pain. Her head was still throbbing, probably still severely concussed. Her chest was tight and tender, searing with pain every time she moved. Her wrist was surely broken...it felt as though it would explode whenever she moved it. As much as she wanted to get out of this situation alive, that was how much she wanted this pain to end.

Her attention was caught and brought back to reality when she had heard Jonathan's voice saying, "Are you missing something, Agent DiNozzo?"

_"DiNozzo?"_ Abby thought foggily. "_Oh, my God...**Tony!**_"

She screamed for Tony, without thinking of the pistol above her, desperate to make it known that she was there...and alive. Her stomach dropped slightly when she heard McGee's terrified cry, even through the phone ten feet away. She called out to him, but immediately regretted it. Ben had kicked her sharply in the chest, no doubt breaking another rib, and Abby cried out in pain, doubling over and coughing into the floor.

More pain...more searing, mind numbing pain. She wanted it to end. She didn't know how much longer she would be able to endure. Abby heard Jonathan yell something, but it was far away and she couldn't really hear him. All she could feel was pain. It slowly began to ebb away, and as her vision cleared, she watched Jonathan slam the phone back onto its receiver, then walk toward her, kneelng down on the floor beside her.

"Are you okay?" he asked with mock concern. He was so close, Abby had the overwhelming urge to spit at his face, but all she could do was cough and try to get air back into her lungs. "So I take it you are close with this Agent Tony, am I right?"

Finding her voice, Abby replied breathily, "He's just...someone...I work with." Abby had done a lot of stupid things without thinking during the past 24 hours, but she knew damn well that she couldn't let on how close she was to anyone with the NCIS network.

"Sounded to me like she knew that other guy better," Ben piped up. Jonathan must have gotten through to Ben because he was definitely into his involvement more than he was six hours earlier.

_"Oh no...Tim!" _Abby cried inwardly.

"Yeah," Jonathan replied in a casual lilt. "And did you hear the way he yelled her name?" He stared back down at Abby. "Sounds like he was _really_ worried about you Abby. And by the way you yelled back to him...what was his name? Tim, was it? Seems to me like there is more than just a platonic relationship between the two of you."

"No, there's not," Abby replied, desperate to keep her voice level and not panic. "I swear to you. I'm just the gopher for those guys...my only interaction with them is when I hand them evidence. I swear."

"I don't think she's telling the truth, do you Ben?" Jonathan asked with a calmness that was terrifying...like he'd rip off her head any second without warning.

"Nope."

"Please," Abby said, sitting up slowly. She was beginning to lose the battle with her inner panic. "You've got to believe me."

Jonathan's eyes darkened and Abby immediately tensed up. Good thing too, because Jonathan seemed to explode in anger.

"Don't lie to me, bitch!" he screamed, making even Ben jump.

Scared to death, Abby began stuttering, "I-I'm not, I swear. P-p-please..."

Jonathan grabbed Abby's arms and pulled her up. He then pushed her down the hallway back to her room, all the while yelling, "Do you think you were the only one in that courtroom yesterday? We were both there, watching you the entire time! Don't think for one second that we wont be able to figure out whose arm that was you left with after you put our brother in jail!"

He threw Abby into her bedroom cell and slammed the door, locking both the knob and deadbolt locks. He stood there and listened, grinning maliciously, as he heard Abby beating on the door and screaming. He gave one good, hard kick to the door and Abby was silenced. Chuckling to himself, Jonathan made his way back to Ben, who was still at the end of the hall.

"Come on," he said. "We've got work to do."

* * *

To be continued... 


	7. Reliving the Past

Disclaimer: Still not mine...

A/N: SORRY! This took way too long. Don't you just hate it how you know exactly you're gonna start and end the chapter but the characters wont do what you want them to to get there? LOL! This was the hardest to write cuz there's a bunch of back-plot to create and remember, hehe. Enjoy! Hopefully the next one wont take so long!

* * *

It had taken the rest of the afternoon and evening for the NCIS to gather everything in the Garret case file. They had only just begun to scratch the surface when Tony, Ziva, and McGee fell victim to the physical and emotional exhaustion from the past day. Tony was folded across his desk, breathing deeply, Ziva was on the floor beneath her desk.. McGee had been asleep at his desk, but it was next to impossible to get any rest with Ziva snoring like a buzzsaw 5 feet away. How Tony was managing to sleep, he'd never know.

McGee groaned and glared over in Ziva's direction. He looked down at his watch and sighed somberly. It was three in the morning. He rubbed his tired eyes and he felt his stomach tighten once more. Twenty-four hours has passed since his Abby had been stolen away from him. The investigator in him knew that the chances of finding a kidnap victim alive drop to almost nothing after the first 48 hours...their time was half-way up.

McGee stood up slowly. He couldn't stay in that squadroom, he had to get out of there. He crossed quietly to the elevator, careful not to disturb his teammates, and pushed the down button. The door opened and when he entered, McGee pressed for the level where he felt most comfortable...most at home.

The cold, silver doors opened to reveal Abby's immaculate lab. McGee slowly exited the elevator and peered around the front corner as he had done so many times before. He groaned sadly when he saw Abby's court clothes, still hanging on the filing cabinent where Abby dropped it off yesterday afternoon. He walked over to it sadly, feeling like he would be sick again.

"Hold on Abs," McGee whispered, running his fingers across the soft material on the sleeve. "Hold on baby, we're coming."

McGee slowly walked toward Abby's office, and he stretched out on Abby's couch that sat opposite her desk. He sighed deeply, taking in the smells around him. He could smell her gunpowder perfume, the chemicals she uses in her tests, her aromatherapy candles...each completely distinct, and each distinctly Abby. Feeling slightly comforted, McGee closed hs eyes and soon drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Two hours later, McGee startled awake by a buzzing in his back pocket. Realizing it was his phone, he sat up and pulled it out.

"McGee," he answered.

"Tim, where are you?" Tony asked, sounding slightly worried.

"I'm in the lab, couldn't sleep upstairs," McGee explained.

"Well get up here."

"On my way."

Tony hung up the phone and glanced down at Ziva, still sound asleep and snoring away. It took Tony calling her name several times to get her to stir awake.

"Ziva, get the Garrett crime scene photos up on the plasma," Tony said. "McGee's on his way up and we need to get started."

After taking several minutes each in the bathroom to freshen up as much as possible, all three team members were seated around Tony's desk, folders and pictures scattered all across it. Tony, Ziva, and McGee each grabbed a handful of documents and began studying feverishly in silence, occasionally glancing over their their neighbor's pile for comparison.

"So," Tony started, "here's where it all starts I guess." He pulled out from his stack a picture of a beautiful, red haired woman and laid it out for all to see. "Petty Officer Kara Monaghan, 24 years old, was found beaten to death one mile away from this--" Tony clicked the picture up to the plasma--" abandoned home in the woods outside of Norfolk. The home was clean, but it looked like it had been abandoned recently."

Rifling through her papers, Ziva added, "The house was co-owned by a Benjamin and Jonathan Masterson. They were questioned then released. They were both away in North Carolina at the estimated time of death...plenty of confirmed witnesses."

McGee now leaned forward, clicking the remote and a familiar picture flashed on the plasma screen. "The Petty Officer had been seen dating Howard Garrett, our scuzz ball. She was found wearing a 4.3 karat diamond ring, and witnesses confirmed that Garrett had given that very ring and several more very expensive pieces of jewlery. Garrett had a blue collar job and wouldn't have been able to afford those kind of gifts normally."

They continued on re-investigating and re-hashing the case file for several more hours, alternating staring at photos on Tony's desk and up at the plasma screen. It was mid-afternoon, and Tony's, Ziva's, and McGee's heads were beginning to throb, their eyes blurry. A much needed break in their concentration came when the elevator dinged open and Ducky walked into the squadroom.

"Hey Ducky," McGee said, rubbing the tension from the bridge of his nose.

"Hello Timothy," Ducky replied solemnly, patting his shoulder. "What's all this?"

"The Garrett case file," Ziva replied.

At Ducky's quizzical look Tony explained, "Abby's kidnappers contacted us last night."

"Good Lord!" Ducky exclaimed. "Is she all right? Were you able to speak to her?"

McGee's eyes darkened. "No, she was in the background. We could hear her screaming..."

Ducky rubbed his face and groaned. "Oh Abigail...those bastards."

Tony, fighting his own tightening stomach, trudged forward, "They didn't identify themselves, and all they said was that we needed to re-examine the Garrett case file. So, here we are."

"Would you mind if I joined in? I could possibly add a different perspective."

"Of course, Doctor," Ziva said, rising from her seat for Ducky to take.

Grabbing another chair, Ziva moved next to McGee, touching him lightly on the wrist in comfort as she sat. Apprising Ducky to the higher points of the case, Tony showed Ducky the case file pictures.

"Ah yes, the ring," the Scotsman breathed, looking up at the picture on the plasma. "I remember it quite well. It had traces of blood and a white substance within the prongs of the band. The substance, of course, turned out to be cocaine. The poor girl had defensive wounds and scratch marks all over her arms, all of which tested positive for traces of cocaine as well. She had an abundance of skin cells under her nails. The blood found on the ring and the DNA under her nails belonged to, as you all known, that Howard Garrett fellow."

"The Petty Officer had suspected that Garrett was cheating on her," Ziva added. "Her friends told us that Kara was upset that Garrett was being secretive and cancelling plans. Her best friend had last heard from her when Kara was going to follow Garrett to prove he was seeing someone else. She never returned home."

"We put a BOLO out on Garrett and got a hit for someone matching his description in a small neighborhood in Norfolk," Tony continued. "We broke in and found him in his basement, standing over a desk huge pile of cocaine."

"Very 'Scarface'," McGee said aloud, looking down.

"Hey," Tony said, smiling wide, "_I'm _the one who does the movie thing."

McGee chuckled lightly and continued, "Abby had done the bloodwork, DNA analysis, and the drug identification of the cocaine in the Petty Officer's ring, her wounds, and tied Garrett to the body and murder. It was an air-tight conviction."

Night had fallen, and the team knew every intricate detail of the Garrett case, but had no idea what it had to do with Abby...or how it could help get her back. Tony had sent McGee home to sleep and Ducky had offered to travel with his as far down as his morgue.

"How _are_ you holding up Timothy?" Ducky asked in the elevator.

"I'm a wreck Ducky, I'm not going to lie," McGee replied, sighing heavily. "It's been two days."

"I know, but you've got to have faith. You and this team are the greatest investigators I have had the pleasure to work with. And who better to help Abigail than the crack team with a personal vendetta? We're going to find her and bring her home."

"I don't know if I'll able to sleep tonight," McGee muttered.

"Try though, you need to keep your stength and wits about you. However, I doubt I will be able to myself, so you give me a ring if you need to," Ducky offered, smiling genially. The elevator slowed to a stop at the morgue and the doors opened.

"Good night, Timothy."

"Night Ducky."

Alone, and now traveling down to the parking lot, couldn't shake Abby's terrified shrieks from his mind. He hadn't been there to protect her, and now she was scared and in pain, and McGee was lost. He didn't know what he would do if he ever lost her...he wouldn't be able to survive without her.

He made his way towards his car, and his ears pricked when he heard a rustling to his right. He cut his eyes to see what it was but he couldn't see anything. After a few more feet, he heard it again. This time he turned fully to the right, his hand on top of his holstered pistol. McGee breated a huge sigh and chuckled at himself when he saw the source of the noise...a chipmunk running through the grass.

He began to turn back toward his car, but he never got all the way around. White lights exploded in his vision as his head burst out in pain. He swayed dangerously, but gravity took over and McGee hit the pavement.

And everything went black.


	8. Into Tony's Head

Disclaimer: Nothing in this chapter is mine...except for "Michael". He's all mine D

* * *

After Tony sent McGee and Ziva home to sleep, he remained alone at his desk gazing at the face of Kara Monaghan. He did his best work at night, he'd always said, but now it was much more than that. Tony was worried...worried, confused, and scared as hell. What were they missing? Tony readjusted his goose neck lamp closer to the desk, and he hunched over in his chair, gazing deeply into the photograph, desperately searching for any sort of resolution in her eyes. Hell...Ducky was able to do it...why not him?

"What is it about your story that's stumping us, sweetheart?" Tony asked her smiling face. "What haven't we figured out?"

Frustrated, and very sleepy, Tony kicked himself away from his desk. He propped his feet up on the corner of his desk, leaned back in his chair, and rubbed his face. Nothing about this whole situation made sense. All he knew was that Abby had been kidnapped by two men who told NCIS to re-evaluate the Garrett case...which resulted in no new evidence that could lead them to save her. Tony also knew that he had physically and emotionally ill since the kidnapper's phone call...Abby's screams still echoing in his head.

Tony loved Abby...she was more family to him than he ever had growing up. When Tony first joined NCIS, fresh from the Philadelphia police force, he would never, ever admit it, but he was a tiny bit scared of Gibbs. In fact, he scared the crap out of him. Besides...he was a probie. Stan had just left Gibbs' team to go on to bigger and better things, leaving Tony to endure the awkward "fitting in" stage and the constant ridicule that came with the Probie title. Despite Tony's excellent skill of fronting his emotions, his past childhood and adolescent experiences made it difficult for his psyche to endure the constant abuse without a form of separation.

That was Abby.

_Tony had taken about all he could stand one Friday afternoon within his first three months, and he calmly made his way to elevator, where he then proceeded to kick the walls and door mecilessly to vent his anger and frustration as he traveled downwards. He was so focused on his emotions that he never noticed the intensifying pain in his big toe; nor that the elevator doors had opened with Abby at the threshold, eyebrows raised and fighting the giggles._

_When Tony noticed Abby grinning at him, he froze mid-kick and grinned sheepishly. "Hi," he said quietly._

_Abby cocked her head to the side. "Bad day?"_

_Tony shrugged and flashed his lopsided grin. "Does it show?"_

_"Come on!" Abby cried, grabbing his hand and pulling him from the elevator and into her lab. She sat Tony down in her rolling chair in front of her computer, which was busy scanning through some information. "Sit up," she commanded in her playful tone. "Feet up in the chair."_

_Tony chucked lightly as he pulled his legs up under him so that he was sitting indian style in the small seat. Abby then walked to his back and began pushing the chair around the large table in the middle of the room as if it were a wheelchair._

_"Okay you," she said, playfully tousling his hair. "Spill. What's wong."_

_Tony sighed. He wasn't one to really divulge his feelings, but there was something about Abby that just made him feel...comfortable. Like he could tell her anything and it would never leave her lab and reach anyone else's ears. _

_"Is Gibbs always like that?"_

_"How so? Quiet? Brooding? Like he could kill you instantly without a second thought...with his pinky?" Abby replied as she rounded a corner._

_Tony laughed. "Yeah, exactly! And what's with Michael? Damn prick thinks he can kick me around like some puppy. Sure, I haven't gotten completely up to speed on _everything_ around here yet, but he doesn't have to rub it in my face every damn second he gets chance!" Tony was half-yelling, venting out his aggression. _

_Abby sighed. "Ah...the squadroom hierarchy." Abby stopped pushing and draped her arms around Tony's neck from behind. "Listen to me Tony. Face it, you're a Probie. And with that comes being the butt of Michael's jokes, schlepping for Gibbs, and the constant criticism. They'll see what a great agent you are eventually. But...there is a bright side to this."_

_"And what could that _possibly_ be?" Tony muttered. _

_"One day, you're going to be Gibbs' senior agent. Which means one day there's going to be a new Probie around here," Abby replied with a mischievious glint in her eye. _

_Tony's eyes brightened and soon had the same mischievious glint. "Yeah..."_

_"Which means you can torture him the way Michael's torturing you. It's just a rite of passage. Just wait, and you'll be able to transfer your anger to the next unsuspecting newbie."_

_Tony leaned his against against hers quickly and smiled. He got up from the chair and faced Abby._

_"Thanks Abby," he said earnestly. "Ya know, you're not all bad for a goth."_

_Abby smiled sarcastically and punched his arm playfully, "Damn straight I'm not. Hey, wanna grab a beer tonight? I know this great bar around the corner. Come down on your way out?"_

_"Yeah, that sounds fun."_

Tony had drifted off to sleep, but awoke several hours later, nearly falling out of his chair. Ziva had come into the squadroom and the sound of her stuff slamming against her desk startled Tony awake.

Ziva laughed slightly. "You didn't go home last night?"

"No...was trying to get a little farther," Tony replied groggily. "What time is it?"

"It's 0600," Ziva replied, pulling a chair over to Tony's desk and sitting.

"Where's McGee?" Tony asked, standing and stretching out his stiff joints.

Ziva shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think he's here yet."

"I hope he had a chance to sleep last night," Tony muttered quietly as he picked up the phone and dialed McGee's apartment phone. The phone rang though to the answering machine. "Hmm...he's not home. Guess he's on his way here." Tony clicked the line dead, then dialed McGee's cell number. It rang twice before the line picked up.

"McGee," Tony said. "Good, you're on your way."

"I'm sorry, Agent McGee can't come to the phone right now," a strange voice answered. Tony immediately recognized his voice as Abby's kidnapper. "He's a little _indisposed_."

"You bastard...what did you do with him?!"


	9. Reunions

Abby lay on the floor, hudled in the fetal position, shivering and crying. They knew about Tim, she was sure of it. They had been at the courthouse...they had seen everything. Jonathan and Ben saw them hug, kiss, link arms...everything that gave them away as a couple. Tim was a target, and he had no idea.

She was weak. Weak from hunger and injury. Jonathan had been right about one thing...she was in hell, and she would stay there until the end, whether she was rescued or died. And at this point...Abby didn't care which one came first.

Abby slowly and gingerly sat up, grimacing as sharp pain shot through her broken ribs. She leaned back against the wall and surveyed her cell once more and now found it eerily different than it was two days ago. That dust bunny in the corner was still there, but now Abby could see new additions to her current residence. The once perfectly waxed hardwood floor was now covered in scuff marks...evidence of Jonathan's beating when Abby tried to escape. The sheet rock was cracked and dented slightly when Jonathan slammed Ben into it for letting his guard down. The doorway was slightly splintered from all the times the door was nearly kicked off its hinges. Abby's blood spotted the walls and floor.

She heard voices and shuffling coming down the hall to her room, and she tried to draw herself up as much has her body would allow. No matter how horrible she felt, she wouldn't let her captors see how broken she really was. Abby then startled when someone on the outside kicked the door harshly, calling out to her through the wood.

"Abby! We've got something for ya!" She heard Jonathan's voice yell.

Abby slowly and shakily stood up, bracing herself against the wall for support. There was a slight glimmer of hope that she was about to get something to eat, but she knew if would have been too good to be true. She flinched reflexively when the door was kicked open once again and Abby gasped at what she saw. Jonathan and Ben stood in the doorway, each holding up by one arm, a semi-conscious, bleeding man.

McGee.

"Tim!" Abby screamed, rushing forward. She stopped short when Jonathan raised his pistol in his free hand and took aim to her chest.

"Get back," he hissed, motioning the gun towards the back wall. Abby didn't move.

"You bastard! What did you do to him?!" Abby cried, tears welling in her eyes.

"MOVE!" Jonathan screamed. Abby slowly backed up until the cool wall hit her, a sob threatening to tear at her throat. McGee looked back, really bad.

"We thought you might be feeling a little lonely, Abby," Ben said, helping his brother pull McGee's limp body into the room. "So we brought you a little friend to play with."

"Yeah, I think you might know him. This is the son of a bitch who was with you at the trial!" Jonathan yelled as he and Ben slung McGee into the room. His body hit the floor with a hard thump, and he groaned in pain but remained motionless.

Abby cried out and started forward again, but Jonathan screamed, "Dammit, Abby, stay the hell back!" She pressed herself firmly against the wall and began sobbing, hot tears streaming down her face.

"Spend your time together wisely," Jonathan sneered, backing out of the door. "It very well may be your last." He and Ben started laughing, then slammed the door shut behind them.

"Tim!" Abby cried, rushing over and falling to the floor next to him, ignoring the rush of pain in her chest and wrist. Abby gently rolled him over onto his back and he groaned painfully once more.

"Oh, my God," she whispered tearfully as she gazed upon his face. He was beaten up bad...there was a large, clotting gash in his temple. His right eye was nearly swollen shut and deeply bruised, his nose looked to be severely damaged but didn't seem to be broken, and his bottom lip was fat and bloody.

McGee's eyes slowly fluttered open and he recognized the scared face hovering above him. "Abby?" he whispered groggily.

"Yeah baby, it's me," she replied, gently touching his cheek.

Fighting back more sobs, Abby slowly helped McGee sit up and move up against the wall. She held the back of his head and gently laid it back against the cool, white wall. McGee blinked, trying to gain focus. He raised his head slightly and looked at his Abby's tear stained face. A look of joy spread over his as the sudden realization hit that he was looking into the eyes of his lost girlfriend...she was alive and semi-well. McGee gave a shuddering sigh then suddenly sat up, pulling Abby into his arms.

She melted in his embrace, nuzzling her head into McGee's neck and letting her tears fall. McGee happily and tearfully kissed Abby's jawline up to her mouth where they shared a soft, welcoming kiss. Abby broke apart and wrapped her arms around McGee's neck in another embrace, laughing through her tears. They held each other for several minutes before Abby winced in pain and withdrew back.

"What is it?" McGee asked.

Abby tried to wave it off, but McGee could see the pain in her eyes. "I think they broke a couple of my ribs, so they're a little tender."

McGee's eyes flashed in anger but his face softened instantly when his eyeline fell on Abby's injured wrist that was noticeably swollen and severely discolored.

"Oh, my God, Abs," he cried. "What did they do to your wrist?"

Abby sniffed and answered softly, "I was trying to escape, but Jonathan caught my ankles. I fell on it wrong." She saw his face fall with heavy concern, and she continued lightly, "It's not as bad as it looks. It's okay if I just tuck it into my chest"--she demonstrated--"and, you know, don't touch it."

"Abs," McGee whispered, reaching out and touching her bruised cheek.

"What happened to you? Do you remember anything?" Abby asked anxiously.

"Not really," he replied groggily, shutting his eyes trying to recal the past. "I was walking out to my car in the Navy Yard and then everything went black. I woke up in like a clearing in the woods, where all this happened." He motioned to his bruised and bloodied face. "I went out and then I was thrown in here. Who are these guys? What do they want?"

"You know the trial I just testified for? The Garrett case? Those are Howard's brothers," Abby replied.

"Damn, are you serious?"

Abby nodded. "The little one's Ben...he doesn't really want to be involved with all this, but Jonathan's got his claws deep in him. That's the bigger one...and the one to watch out for. And the only thing they want is revenge. They want us to suffer."

A momentary flicker of fear flashed behind McGee's eyes, but he then smiled lightly as he looked into Abby's eyes. "Well, at least we're together."

Abby smiled back then grew solemn. "For however long that may last."

* * *

"Dammit!" Tony yelled in the squadroom, kicking his desk hard. "What do they want from us?!"

"Tony, calm down," Ziva cried, quickly putting her hand on his shoulder. "Come on, let's talk through this again. When you talked to him, what did he say?"

"Just that he had McGee and to keep looking into that damn case file," Tony growled frustratedly, sounding scarily like Gibbs. "He told us to 'dig deeper'. Freakin' cryptic bastard."

"Well then, let's go over Petty Officer Monaghan's file again. There's got to be something we've missed."

"We've been over every word, I don't see how it could possibly help Abby and Tim." Tony flopped down into his chair, rubbing his face anxiously.

Ziva sighed and knelt down beside him. "Now, Tony, don't take this the wrong way, and if you ever bring this up, I'll deny it. But, you are one of the most capable agents I've seen and worked with in my year here. You are more than able to save McGee and Abby."

Tony looked down at Ziva with a look of earnest thanks then gave a sad, lopsided smile. "I'm going to need some help."

Ziva smiled warmly and nodded. "Then...I think you know what you need to do."

Tony sighed, picking up his telephone. "Yeah...I do."


	10. Surprise, Surprise

Disclaimer: Still not mine...

A/N: We're getting toward the end...more stuff happens here. Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

The next several hours after Tony's latest outgoing phone call were spent by Tony and Ziva alternating staring at and pouring through the Garrett/Monaghan file, groaning in frustration, and kicking anything in sight. Tony seemed to be taking things rather hard, and it concerned Ziva. Tony had worked with Abby and McGee much longer than Ziva had, and had developed a tighter bond than anything Ziva had even witnessed...even working in Mossad. She wished she was able to do more to reassure him, but coupled with the fact that she didn't have the proper communication skills...she wasn't fully certain herself that things were going to end okay.

"Is he here yet?" Ziva asked, flipping through more case file pictures.

Tony pulled up some information on his computer and answered, "Not yet. He grabbed the first flight out, and it doesn't land for another 15 minutes. There's an agent waiting for him at the gate."

"Okay, hopefully we can get somewhere with this case file," Ziva replied.

"I'm just stumped," Tony groaned, taking a seat and pulling Kara Monaghan's picture toward him. "The bastard told us to 'dig deeper' but we basically have this entire file memorized. We can't go any deeper than we already have."

Ziva thought for a second, scanning over the pages in front of her. An idea suddenly struck her and she rummaged through the paper and pulled out Howard Garrett's mug shot, brandishing it in front of Tony's face.

"Gibbs would kill us," Ziva said simply.

Tony furrowed his eyebrows, not understanding what she was talking about. His mind raced through all the information that had been crammed into it the past 48 hours. They had gone over every square inch of the Garrett case...even going back into Petter Officer Monaghan's personal history dating back until she was 14. That's when it hit him.

"Oh, God, he would. Ziva, go pull up everything you can possibly find in Howard Garrett's background that we didnt pull up in the original investigation. Anything and everything--hell, get his eight grade report card...we've got more studying to do."

Mentally kicking themselves, both Tony and Ziva were glued to their computer screens, researching and reading everything possible about the past and present life of the jailed Garrett.

"He was born on February 25th, 1971 in Wythville, Virginia...small town," Ziva recited off her computer screen. "He's the only child of Samuel and Amanda Garrett."

Tony took over. "Parents divorced when Garrett was five and Dad skipped town...died four years later, hit by a car. Momma and baby Garrett left Virginia and moved into an apartment in Baltimore after the divorce."

"Just after that, Amanda Garrett met and remarried a successful local businessman named Eric Masterson," Ziva continued.

Tony's head snapped up. "Masterson? Why does that sound familiar?" Tony started rifling through the pages of the Garrett file. "There!" he cried out, pointing at the page and showing Ziva. "That house near where the Petty Officer found was owned by two brothers named Masterson."

"Coincidence?" Ziva asked, though something in the back of her mind told her that it wasn't.

"Dunno..." Tony trailed off, going back to his computer and clicking the keys wildly. _Hadn't the kidnapper said he had a brother?_ Ziva joined in the furious typing and soon she sat back suddenly, swearing aloud in Hebrew.

"What is it?" Tony asked, rushing over to Ziva's desk and stood over her shoulder.

"After Amanda Garrett became Amanda Masterson, she gave birth to a son then another 3 years later. Look at their names..." She pointed at her screen.

Tony leaned over and read aloud, "_Jonathan and Benjamin Masterson_." His stomach dropped. "They're Garrett's half brothers. Son of a bitch!"

He ran back over to his desk, pulling out his desk drawer and holstering his weapon, Ziva doing the same. Tony was just about to reach for his cell phone, when it rang. He flipped it open hurriedly and answered shortly.

"Johnson, that you? Okay, so the plane's landed and he's with you?" Tony said. "We've hit a break on Abby and McGee's kidnappers, and we're about to make the bust. I'm sending you the map and directions, drive him to meet us there. And call a team to back you up, and do it all in five minutes!" Tony slapped the phone shut and he and Ziva made a mad dash to the elevator.

"I called Ducky and Jimmy," Ziva said as the doors opened for them. "They'll following behind us."

"God, I just hope we need them to stick up wounds, not zip up body bags."

* * *

Abby and McGee lay cuddled together on the hardwood floor of their cell. Abby was finally--both medically and emotionally--able to fall asleep, and she laid closest to the wall with McGee next to her, painfully awake. His self-diagnosed concussion was keeping him so, not to mention that he was the only thing that stood between the door and his sleeping, defenseless Abby, and he wasn't about to be napping when Jonathan came busting through the door.

The room was quiet...bordering on silent. The kind of silence that pressed hard around causing McGee's hearing to detect any sort of movement or noise without any problem. Even Abby's soft, steady breathing couldn't break it. McGee's ears pricked slightly and he slowly sat up, leaning his head toward the wall behind him. He heard something moving outside of the house. Cars...he was hearing cars. But, this time, they were pulling up to the house, not drving by as he had heard so many times before.

Before McGee had time to think whether this could be a good or bad sign, he heard their captors yelling and swearing from down the hall, startling Abby awake. She began to whimper slightly as they heard two pairs of legs thundering down to hall toward their door. Abby pulled her legs as tight as she could towards her and McGee positioned himself in front of her for protection.

Just in time too. The door was kicked open once more and both Jonathan and Ben raced in with Ben yelling, "Damn Jon, what do we do now?"

"We improvise," Jonathan cried back, clearly shaken over the turn of events.

Jonathan reached the corner and McGee stood and stiffened, ready to fight. Jonathan, however, was in no mood to fight and pulled out his pistol and poised it three inches from McGee's face. Abby whimpered loudly and began to cry.

"Move," he hissed.

McGee growled menacingly, "If you touch her, I swear to God I'll tear you apart limb from--"

Jonathan had enough. He was pressed for time. In one fast motion, Jonathan raised the pistol as a club, solidly cracking the side of McGee's skull, which sent him staggering and collapsing to the floor at the opposite wall.

"TIM!" Abby screamed, rushing over on all fours towards her fallen boyfriend, but Jonathan kicked her away, connecting squarely in her gut.

"Get her!!" Jonathan screamed to his brother and Ben rushed the coughing Abby. He grabbed her from around the waist, hoisted her up, and began dragging her from the room

"Abby, no! Let her go!" McGee cried, pulling himself to his feet and shakily advancing toward Ben. He didn't get three steps forward before Jonthan clubbed him again, and McGee fell hard once more to the floor.

Abby struggled and writhed to get free but screamed when she saw Jonathan land a hard kick into McGee's chest, hearing bone break on impact. Jonathan slammed the door shut once his brother and Abby were out, and Abby kept on screaming.

"Tim!! God, please! Leave him alone!! Ti--" Ben's hand pressed against her open mouth, smothering her screams.

He dragged her to the front foyer area where she had been taken before, but this time, Ben threw her down to the floor in the hall just shy of the front door. She lay kneeling on the floor, her upper body folded over itself, her face pressed against the hardwood, and she was sobbing harder than ever. She could see the blood red door to their cell, shut firm, but she could hear the blows from inside. Abby's breath caught in her throat when she heard the distinctive click of a pistol above her head. Ben had one too, and it was aimed directly at the back of Abby's skull.

The sounds of the fight stopped suddenly and Abby froze when she watched Jonathan storm from the room. She saw the blood on his hands knuckles and she nearly cried out when she saw McGee in the room just before the door shut. He was laying awkwardly against the far wall, his back to hers, and his clearly limp body was motionless. Abby began to shiver violently as she feared the worst.

"I bet you want to know the whole story by now," Jonathan said quietly yet dangerously. Abby was too frightened to reply so Jonathan continued, "Our last names are actually Masterson, and we're Howard's half brothers. You know the drug trafficking charge you helped put him away for? It wasn't just him involved, it was all three of us. You see...we had a sweet deal. Howard procured and cut the cocaine, while the little bro and I made deals with our clients. It was only when the two of us were in North Carolina, planning a deal with some potential customers, when that bitch girlfriend of his Kara, decided to drop in unannounced. Next thing we know, she's dead, and Howard's arrested. And like a good older brother he didn't rat us out."

Abby's stomach tightened more and more as he spoke. Why would he be telling her all this if he wasn't planning on killing her? If he hadn't already killed Tim?

It was then when Abby was finally able to hear what was going on. There were cars out front, and men outside...she could hear them. And judging by her captors' reactions within the past five minutes, these men outside were not on their side.

Abby's eyes widened and her heart leapt into her throat when she heard a voice from outside call out, "NCIS! Jonathan and Benjamin Masterson, you are to stand down immediately!"

Jonathan poked his head ever so slightly around the hall's corner to look out the front screen door. Three agents--two male, one female-- were standing, Sigs drawn, with a dark sedan parked behind them. He looked at the agent who just called out and he yelled back,

"Who do you think you are?"

"I am Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo...I believe we've spoken on the phone several times," Tony called back, his usual authoritative sarcasm coming through.

Abby gasped happily and whispered down into the floor, "Tony!"

She felt a foot press down on her back and she heard Ben's harsh whisper in her ear, "Shut up or this bullet's in your brain three inches deep."

Abby wasn't out of this yet, but this was the brightest glimmer of hope she'd had in two and a half days.

"We've got someone here who wants to talk. See if there's anything he can do to make sure things go smoothly today and that no one gets hurt. A negotiator of sorts," Tony called motioning to the man standing to his right.

Jonathan's eyes followed and rested upon the referenced man. "So who the hell are you?"

Abby's heart nearly exploded with joy when she heard a familiar, gruff voice cut through the air.

"I'm Leroy Jethro Gibbs."


	11. Out of Harm's Way

Disclaimer: NCIS isnt mine...

A/N: Took a while, but here it is!!! Enjoy!

* * *

"I'm Leroy Jethro Gibbs. I think you a couple of my people, and I'd like to get them back." 

Jonathan looked the man up and down, sizing him up. He was older, his hair was gray and semi-long with a gray mustache. He held his pistol like he was experienced, but also like he hadn't done it in a while. Jonathan could see the fire behind the man's eyes and a chill went down his spine. It was going to take more than a raised voice and a pistol to go against this guy.

"Well, that's rather unfortunate for you Mr. Gibbs," Jonathan called, and both Abby inside and Tony outside slightly cringed. _Mr._ Gibbs sounded way too weird.

Looking through the sight of his gun, Gibbs could see only half of Jonathan's face peering out from the front door. It wasn't enough for a clear shot, and Gibbs couldn't risk Abby and Tim's life with a missed bullet. Gibbs blinked when the face vanished from his sight. Jonathan quickly went to his brother and took posession of the pistol. Still keeping it fixed on Abby, he knelt down beside her and pressed the barrel to the back of her head. At the touch, Abby startled and whimpered fearfully.

"What is it that you want?" Gibbs asked, leveling his voice.

"It was this bitch and those agents that put our brother in jail!" Jonathan yelled heatedly, and Ben pressed his foot down harshly on Abby's back, bending her painfully more forward and she winced audibly.

"Well, that may be, and your plan might've been working until now, but look around Masterson. You are out-manned and out-gunned, you wouldn't last a minute in an ambush."

"You take one step toward this house and there will be a bullet in her brain before you get to the front step!" Jonathan screamed. For emphasis, Ben swung his leg, kicking Abby in the side, and she let out a scream of pain.

"Oh damn Gibbs," Tony breathed, his stomach knotting, "they've got Abby there with them."

Gibbs swore under his breath, then muttered quietly to Tony, "This changes things. Still trust me DiNozzo?"

"Never stopped, Boss."

Gibbs made a quick glace to the younger agent then put his focus back to Jonathan. "Okay, okay, I get it. No one's going to move. Let's talk about this though. We want to help you."

Inside, Abby's eyes widened slightly. Had she heard him right? _What the hell are you doing Gibbs?_

Ben's head snapped over to his brothers, his eyebrows raised. "Jon...maybe we should listen to him," he whispered nervously.

Jonathan nodded slowly then called back, "Keep talking."

Gibbs exhaled sharply. "I've put through a call to the director of NCIS, and she's willing to make a deal. Our people for your transport out of here, and you'll be free of prosecution."

"Gibbs!" Ziva whispered harshly, not daring to believe what she heard.

Tony's head turned sharply and glared. "Shut up Ziva, we've got this covered," he whispered back just as harsh.

"You interested?" Gibbs held his breath in anticipation.

Abby lay pressed against the floor, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She felt odd. Half terrified and half, strangely enough, happy...Gibbs was back. He was here to save her as he had done so many times before. Abby just prayed now that he would get to her in time. She could still feel the cold steel of the gun barrel pressed against the base of her skull.

Upon hearing the offer for their freedom, Jonathan stood up sharply from Abby's side and began to pace a short path back and forth, racking his brain for any solution to getting out alive.

"Jon..." Ben whispered, eyes wide in panic. "Jon, we've got to do something."

"Shut it, Ben," Jonathan muttered aggrivatedly, still pacing.

"Jon, just do what he says." The younger brother was becoming jittery. "You're the one who wanted him to keep talking--"

"I said _shut up_ Ben!" Jonathan exploded in that frightening, hushed whisper than made Abby's blood run cold. "I was just trying to buy us some time! Maybe we can sneak her out the back and make a break for it."

"You'll never make it," Abby suddenly piped up from the floor. "They'll know something's wrong and they'll charge in after you."

Jonathan glowered down at his hostage, and slammed his foot to the floor mere inches from Abby's nose. She startled violently and was silenced.

"Jonathan? You still there?" He startled when he heard Gibbs address him. Jonathan and Ben exchanged a long look, which seemed to silently communicate their thoughts to another.

Jonathan nodded curtly then called back to the agents outside, "What's the catch?"

Gibbs exhaled slowly, slightly relieved but still on his guard. "Just a little show of good faith," he called back. "There's that window right near the front door. Let Abby go to the window so we can she if she's okay."

Before Abby could register what was happening, Jonathan had scooped down and grabbed her painfully by the upper arm. He pulled her up then forcefully pushed her back against the wall, clasping his hand over her mouth.

Looking at Abby, Jonathan yelled to Gibbs, "Okay, she's coming out!" He then lowered his voice to a menacing growl and addressed Abby. "Nothing funny now. Just go to the window and let them get a good look at you. This gun will be pointed at your back the entire time. You understand me?"

Abby shuddered, but nodded nervously. Jonathan lifted his hand and stepped away from her, leaving a clear path to the window. Abby started to walk slowly forward, staggering slightly from her injuries and nerves. She reached her arms forward to take hold of the sides of the open window, but as she stretched, her broken rib caught sharply. She grimaced in pain, and she stumbled forward, hitting the window sill in complete view of the agents outside.

Tony, Gibbs, and Ziva all felt their insides squirm when they saw Abby pitch forward; but when she stood, their blood ran cold. From twenty feet away, they could see how badly she had been hurt. She was thinner, almost hollowed. Her face was almost unrecognizeable. Her lip was cut, bruises covered both cheeks, bloody scrapes and cuts were dotted everywhere, and the reminants of a gash in her temple were visible. She wore only a black spaghetti strap shirt, and there were deep bruises visible where her clothing did not cover. The team knew she had a couple broken ribs, but the pain they were causing was eminent in the way he carried her upper body. She held a swollen and bruised wrist tight to her torso.

Ziva swore aloud in Hebrew then whispered, "Oh, my God."

"Oh Jesus, Boss," Tony muttered, horrified. "They've beaten the crap out of her."

Abby gazed out of the window and into the faces of each agent outside. Tears filled her eyes as she passed over Tony, but her breath caught in her throat and the tears began to fall when her eyes fell on Gibbs. For two months, Abby had prayed for the day she would see Gibbs again, and now that it had come...she hoped he hadn't come only to see her get killed.

As hot tears streamed down her face, Abby raised her good hand to her face and wiped them away, trailing them down her neck. She slowly brought her fisted hand to her chest. Looking right into Gibbs' eyes, she ever-so-subtly turned her fist in a tiny circle.

_Sorry._

"Oh Abby," Gibbs whispered.

Abby sniffed thickly and gasped when she felt Jonathan grab her arm and pull her from the window, pinning her back against the wall.

"Hold her," Jonathan told his brother, who took over the grip of Abby's arm. Jonathan stepped carefully toward the front door and called out, "Okay now, you've seen her. Now get your director on the phone!"

Jonathan watched cautiously as he saw Gibbs pull out his cell and dial with one hand as the other still grasping his pistol with perfect aim. He couldn't hear his voice, but he could see his lips moving, so Jonathan was sure that he wasn't being played. Inside, Abby was trying to steady her emotions. Gibbs, Tony, and Ziva were out there...her freedom was so close. The only thing that was keeping her from it was Jonathan's short temper, Ben's increasingly painful grip on her forearm, and the pistols they both carried.

Gibbs snapped his phone shut, nodded to both his agents at his side, and called up to Jonathan. "Okay Masterson...there's a transport on its way. Now, here's the deal. You send out one of me people, and when the transport gets here, you send out the other. Starting with Abby."

Jonathan glared over at Abby and called, "Why her? I kinda like having her around."

"Jeez," Tony muttered. "Make things more complicated."

"Because in the long run," Gibbs replied, starting to get weary, "it's better for you to keep my agent. He has gives you more leverage than she does. Abby's worthless to me."

Abby gasped and felt tears burn in her eyes as the bottom dropped out of her stomach. She tried to shake his voice from her mind, but it only settled to the back. Abby knew exactly what Gibbs was doing...but that didn't keep his words from stinging.

"All we need her for is to go to trial, relay our information, and look pretty," Gibbs continued.

Jonathan chuckled wryly. "'Look pretty'? I would have picked someone else for that one Mr. Gibbs."

"All right, that's it!" Tony growled. "I've got dibbs on him Boss, his ass is mine."

"Steady DiNozzo," Gibbs muttered. He then called out, "We got a deal?"

Jonathan continued to stare at Abby, who was wide-eyed with anticipation and fear. He nodded shortly to his brother and motioned for him to bring Abby up to the door.

Gibbs quickly turned to Tony, muttering directions rapidly. "Tony, if and when Abby comes out, she'll come to you. Take her behind the van and keep her safe. The back-up team is stationed at the rear of the house and is ready to advance at the signal, Ziva and I will cover the front entrance. Have Abby tell you where they are keeping Tim, and relay it to me. Got that?"

"Yes Boss," Tony replied.

"You've got a deal Mr. Gibbs," they heard Jonathan call out, and all their spirits lifted slightly. "She's going to walk out and come to you...don't come forward, because I'll still have my gun at her back the entire time.

Now pressed up against the wall beside the front screen door, Abby's heart leapt for joy. She gasped happily, but the remaining ribbon of fear within her took over when Jonathan closed in in front of her.

"You know Abby," he whispered with that malicious glint, "it's been _fun_ having you over. Hope to see you again sometime."

Abby stared back into Jonathan's eyes, her stomach knotting tighter and tighter. But it wasn't in fear. She blinked when she realized that every ounce of fear she had collected and endured over the past 52 hours had changed into burning hatred. Her eyes narrowed and darkened as she suddenly leaned forward and spat in Jonathan's face.

Jonathan tensed like he was going to retaliate, but he only wiped off his face with a lopsided smirk. He knew it wasn't worth it to hit her, not with three pistols points at him. Jonathan simply chuckled lightly and then violently shoved Abby back out of the door. She stumbled horribly, pain ripping through her chest, down the front two steps. Abby never hit the ground, but her vision was swimming and she was visibly disoriented.

Tony, quickly holstering his weapon and reaching both arms out in front of him, gently called out, "Abby, I'm over here. Come on, baby, you're going to be okay."

Abby started moving forward, shivering with emotion, being beckoned on by Tony's soft and gentle words. She felt her throat tighten and tears begin to well up once again as she inched closer and closer to her friend. Her eyes cut to her left and she made eye contact with Gibbs, who nodded encouragingly, and she felt her legs buckle weakly beneath her.

"Come on Abs," Tony said softly, "I've got you."

Abby raised her uninjured arm and shakily reached for Tony's outstretched hands. When her fingers touched his hand, Tony immediately bent down and scooped Abby up in his arms in one fell swoop, careful not to aggrivate her painful chest. Abby wrapped her good arm around Tony's neck and began to cry harder as he swiftly carried her behind the NCIS van. He gingerly laid her down on the ground, resting her back against the side of the van and Tony quickly fell to her side.

"Abby," Tony said urgently. "Abby, where's Tim? Where are they keeping him?"

Abby was crying so hard she was barely able to find her voice between her sobs. "Long hall...last room...bright red door. Oh God, Tony...I think he's dead."

Tony felt his stomach drop and he spoke into the microphone in his sleeve. "Did you, uh, get that, Boss?"

"Yeah DiNozzo, I got it," Gibbs replied. Tony recognized that tone...that hollowed growl he took on when his people's lives were in danger.

Tony wrapped his arms around Abby shivering body and she leaned into him, still crying. "Hey, it's okay," he whispered, petting her head. "Shh, you're safe know, I've got you. We're about to get Tim out of there, then we can all go home."

Gibbs raised his wrist to his mouth and spoke into the microphone, "Back up team, did you get the location of Agent McGee?"

"Affirmative," replied a voice.

Gibbs steeled himself, then yelled into the mic, "Secondary team, move in now! Go, go, go!!"

Tony startled and Abby screamed when gunfire erupted from the house behind them. Abby pressed herself against Tony's chest, and his protective hold around her tightened. Both the passenger and driver's door windows exploded above them as a stray bullet flew through and Tony shielded Abby's head and face from the flying shards.

Tony pulled away to see Abby slumped uncomfortably forward. He leaned her back, and was stabbed with a brief moment of panic when he saw her eyes closed and her body limp. He quickly checked her neck for a pulse and found a slow, steady one...Abby had fallen unconscious.

"DiNozzo," Tony heard Gibbs' voice in his ear, "the scene is secure. You can call in Ducky."


	12. Visitations

Disclaimer: See chapter 1...none of it's mine

A/N: I am so sorry guys! I know this too FOREVER to update, but I have a very good reason. I was nearly done with this chapter when my laptop took a little spill and was damaged. I had to recover Windows so everything was gone...including this chapter that I was 3 paragraphs away from finishing. But, I finally got it finished...and here it is. I really hope you guys enjoy it...

Another A/N: Thanks to my semi-beta Liz...you have been acknowledged D

* * *

Her world was dark. Lying flat on her back, Abby felt more calm and serene than she had felt since before the trail. She wasn't in pain anymore. Abby was comfortable in the black, it was so serene. She began to feel herself being gently pulled upward as the world around her swirled in color. 

**_3:07 am_**

Abby's eyes slowly fluttered open. Soft light flooded her vision and the familiar odor of dysinfectant filled her nostrils. She recognized it instantly as the unmistakeable smell of a hospital room. There was a gently whirring of machinery around her and she noticed a black cast on her wrist, and an IV tube in both of her arms. She was vaguley aware of a warm pressure at her head, on her stomach, and arm. Abby groggily tilted her head slightly forward then to the side and smiled warmly. She wasn't the only one in her room.

Jimmy Palmer sat in a chair next to the bed, hunched over and sound asleep, his head cradled in a folded arm while the other rested gently on Abby's shoulder. Abby's eyes traveled back down to her side. Tony too was sitting hunched over, sound asleep, and resting his head gently on Abby's stomach and holding her hand in his.

Abby smiled and lightly squeezed her hand around Tony's. He stirred slowly and raised his head sleepily. Tony looked up at Abby and his face split into a happy grin when he saw her looking back him.

"Hey," Abby whispered weakly.

"Hey yourself," Tony whispered back, scooting his chair up closer to her head. "You know where you are?"

Abby nodded slowly. "Yeah...don't know which one though."

"Bethesda."

"Oh." Abby breathed in deeply but the pain of her chest twinged, and in an instant, the events of the past few days came rushing back. Abby stiffened, her eyes wide, and she whimpered, "Where are they?"

"Shh, Abby," Tony whispered, taking hold of her hand once more. "It's all over, they're dead. Gibbs shot them." Tony reached forward and petted Abby's hair comfortingly. He looked up and saw Jimmy still asleep at Abby's head. "Palmer, wake up" he said.

Jimmy snorted awake, his head jerking up suddenly. He saw Abby's smiling face looking up at him and he grinned back. "You're awake."

"That I am. How long was I out?"

"About 12 hours." Tony replied, checking the clock on the wall.

"How are you feeling?" Jimmy asked, standing up, going into doctor mode. He may have been still in medical school, but Jimmy had learned enough for general care.

Abby shifted slightly in her bed, feeling a slight discomfort as she did so. "Okay I guess," she replied. "My chest doesn't hurt has much as it did before."

Jimmy smiled."Yeah, that demerol's great stuff isn't it?"

"Yeah," Abby said, laughing.

"I'm going to go tell the others you're awake," Jimmy said. "I'll be back to see you later."

When Jimmy shut the door, Abby sighed. Her head was fuzzy. She had just woken up from unconsciousness and had pain killers pumping into her by the milliliter. Suddenly, one frightening thought shot through and her eyes filled with tears.

"Oh, my God..."

"Abby? Abby, what is it?" Tony asked, petting her hair again.

"Tim...oh God, Tim. Where is he Tony? Please God, tell me he's okay," Abby cried, hot tears falling.

Tony quickly brought his hand up and wiped away her tears and smiled. "Shh, Abby, Tim is okay. He's still unconscious, but his doctor and Ducky are sure he's going to wake up pretty soon. He's two rooms down."

Abby gasped began laughing happily as more tears started to fall. Tim was alive...she hadn't lost him. Tony grinned broadly and squeezed her good hand.

"You know," Tony said jokingly. "I should be thanking you two."

Abby furrowed her eyebrows. "Why?"

"The team hasn't been this busy in a good, long while," he replied, grinning.

Abby pursed her lips then laughed sarcstically, "You just wait 'til I can move, Tony. I'll get you for that."

Tony laughed. He leaned up and kissed Abby's forehead as a token of truce.

"What's this other tube in me?" Abby asked, now focusing on her left arm. The IV line was put in the crook of her elbow, just above her cast.

"Nutrition. You were so weak, they put this in you until you're strong enough for solid food."

Abby opened her mouth to reply but was stopped by her door opening. A man, obviously Abby's doctor, had walked in, her chart in hand.

"Mornin' Doc," Tony said.

"Hello Agent DiNozzo, I see our friend has come back to us," the doctor replied genially.

"Yeah, I had been away from the party too long," Abby replied. Her voice was still a little weak.

"Agent DiNozzo, I'm going to ask you step out for a minute please, while I examine Abby," the doctor said.

"Right, sure," Tony said, standing up. He bent over and kissed the top of Abby's head again and said, "I'll be back."

_**4:17 am**_

After the doctor left, Abby had slipped into a light slumber. She was stirred awake by a gentle knock at her door and the creak of it opening. Abby saw a head poke through the opening, but it was too dark for her to distinguish who it was. When the dark figure spoke with a husky, feminine tone, Abby who exactly who had come to visit.

"Abby?"

"Hey Ziva," Abby said sleepily.

"How are you doing?" Ziva asked, walked slowly over to the bed

"Okay, I guess."

"I-I didn't wake you, did I?" Ziva faltered slightly, sitting down in a chair.

Abby chuckled lightly. "I needed to get up anyway. Who would think I would sleep after being unconscious for 12 hours."

Ziva gave a tiny smile, then sat back in the chair, figeting. She seemed nervous. Abby knew her relationship with Ziva was rocky. It was seeming to get a lot better throughout the past year, but it went downhill fast since Gibbs was blown up. Their slap-fest in Abby's lab had been rock bottom. Abby was the first person to offer the reconciliatory handshake and hug in the squadroom only because Tony asked her to...and Abby wanted to be the bigger person.

Abby looked over at Ziva, her eyes big and worried. "How's Tim?" she asked quietly

Ziva sadly shook her head. "He's still out, Abby."

"Crap," Abby whispered, pressing her head deeper into her pillow.

"You want me to go check on him?" Ziva asked, standing up swiftly from the chair and leaning toward the door.

"No, no. Please stay," Abby cried, showing more emotion that she wanted to. Abby had been alone so much the past three days, she was desperate for any form of company...she didn't even mind that it was Ziva.

The two sat in silence, Ziva still played with her hands but seemed more comfortable. Abby laid on her bed, staring up at her dark ceiling, her mind floating back to the past. Her stomach dipped slightly when she realized that she had no memory whatsoever of what had happened. She remembered going to the window of the house, being shoved down the stairs, looking into Tony's eyes...but from then on, her mind was blank.

"Um, Ziva?" Abby asked hesitantly. She wondered if she really did want to know what had happened the day before.

"Yes Abby, what is it?" Ziva asked, leaning forward toward her.

"What happened...you know, in there? I kind of remember Tony taking me behind the van, but after that I'm real fuzzy."

"Oh, um," Ziva said, scooting to the edge of the seat. "When Tony got you behind the van, you told us where they were keeping McGee, remember that?" When Abby shook her head, Ziva continued, "There was a team stationed behind the house and when we knew you were safe, Gibbs gave the go ahead and we stormed in. They started shooting as soon as we got through the door. The larger brother--"

"Jonathan," Abby corrected quickly, a chill running down her spine.

"Right," Ziva replied softly, reaching out and touching Abby's wrist comfortingly. "He pulled Ben down the hall to the back room, where we assume they were going to kill McGee before we got to them." Abby whimpered, but Ziva held her wrist gently. "We shot them before they even touched the door, Abby. They're dead."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Abby, I'm sure."

"Thank God," Abby whispered, shutting her eyes.

Silence came over to two women for several minutes, each just enjoying the company of the other. Ziva yawned several times, but shook it off and began looking out the window behind Abby's head. It was still pretty dark outside, only the lights of the city lit the room. Abby seemed wide awake, staring back up at the ceiling.

Ziva stood up and said, "I'm going to go see how McGee is doing. Do you want anything while I'm out?"

Abby grinned. "A Caff-Pow?"

Ziva laughed. "I don't know if this hospital has a machine. Besides, I think you'd better work yourself up to solid food first."

"Yeah, good point."

"I'll be back later to see you," Ziva said smiling as she shut the door quietly behind her.

**_11:47 am_**

A little while after Ziva left her side, Abby's doctor came by for another visit. He checked her vital and told her that she was now strong enough to come off her nutrition IV, and Abby was ecstatic. He removed the needle from her arm, replaced it with a bandaid, and left the room

Tony came back by to visit around mid-morning, and he was bearing gifts. He had dropped by Abby's apartment earlier that morning and brought her the necessities for an extended hospital stay...her CD player from her lab and, of course, Bert. He also brought along a pair of her pajama pants, for he knew how embarassing those hospital gowns could be.

After putting on her flannel pj's, Abby was now sitting up in her bed, listening to Plastic Death, her usual comforting music group. She, of course, couldn't keep it as loud as she mornally would; but after hearing nothing but silence, the occasional passing car, and Jonathan's furious tirades, Abby would've been happy listening to McGee's Yanni CD.

Abby sat, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the first meal she would have in five days. When she heard a knock at the door, she immediately turned off her CD player...she didn't wany any distractions. When the door opened, Abby pouted slightly that it wasn't her lunch, but she was thrilled by her visitor.

"Duckman!"

"Hello Abigail," Ducky cried, going to her side and gently embracing her. "It's wonderful to see you again!"

Abby sighed sadly. "Didn't think you would, did you?"

"For a little while there, sweetheart, we didn't," Duckly replied solembly, reaching out and taking her hand.

Abby looked straight into Ducky's eyes and asked nervously, "Tim?"

Ducky shook his head sadly. "Not yet sweetheart, but soon."

Abby's eyes dropped and she heaved a shuddering sigh, Ducky squeezing her hand comfortingly. She looked back up at Ducky and asked, "How...how bad is he hurt?"

"About the same as yours Abigail," Ducky replied. "Timothy has a concussion and three of his ribs are broken. There was some internal organ bruising, but it's healing up quite nicely. We did have a little scare with him...we thought one of the broken ribs had punctured his lung, but it was just a blip on the X-ray. Everything's fine."

"Then why hasn't he woken up yet?"

Ducky sighed. She sounded so scared. "Some people take more time to heal Abigail, but I promise that he will be okay."

Abby leaned back into her pillows and sighed. To Ducky's great pleasure, Abby seemed so much calmer. The faintest visible lines of worry still crossed her face, but Ducky knew that as soon as McGee woke up, they would vanish. However, Abby's eyebrows suddenly furrowed in thought and she turned back to face him.

"Ducky," Abby started hesitantly, afraid of both her question and the possible answer. "I know I was hurt pretty bad back there at the house, but was I imagining things?"

"How do you mean?"

"I thought I saw Gibbs," Abby said softly. "I mean, I know I was weak and about to pass out, but...is Gibbs really back?"

Ducky smiled and squeezed her hand once more. "Yes Abigail," he replied. "He's here."

Abby smiled wide, then it fell slightly. "Why hasn't he come to see me yet? I actually half expected to see him asleep on my stomach instead of Tony."

"Oh honey," Ducky replied, sighing sadly. "Gibbs is just...he's...he wanted to be able to give you good news about Timothy when he saw you."

Abby started to reply but was interrupted by a knock at the door. It opened and Abby sat up happily as a small, blonde nurse walked in pushing in a lunch tray. She wheeled it across Abby's bed and Abby's face split in the widest grin.

"Thank you!" Abby cried. "Thank you-thank you-thank you-thank you-thank you so much!"

The nurse laughed then said to Ducky, "I haven't seen anyone this excited about our food before."

Ducky laughingly repied, "Ah yes, well our Abby is one peculiar woman. Marches to the beat of her own drum, you might say."

The nurse turned to exit the room and Abby called, "Thank you, my food-delivering angel!"

The nurse smiled then exited the room. Abby waited all of two seconds after the door shut before she ripped open her plastic silverware, and hastily removed the plastic dome protecting her long-awaited meal. It was hospital food...pressed turkey, overcooked and mushy mixed vegetables, a roll, and a snack size chocolate pudding. But to Abby...it was a Thanksgiving feast.

"Careful sweetheart," Ducky said lightly as she stuffed a full fork in her mouth. "Eat slow now...you don't want to shock your system and make yourself sick."

Abby pouted but obliged, slowly savoring each bite. She knew it all in her head, but Abby could feel herself warm and strengthen with each bite. Ducky smiled happily as he watched her. She was making excellent progress in her recovery. When Abby finished scraping the last reminants of her pudding and placed the empty cup on her clean plate, she leaned back into her pillows and sighed contentedly.

"Good?" Ducky asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"Best meal I've had in days," Abby replied with a playful smirk. "_Only_ meal I've had in days."

"Now that you have some actual food in your system, your body might be able to get itself back on track. You should be feeling a lot better soon." Ducky pulled the tray away from Abby and rolled it against the side wall.

"I could really use a Caff-Pow," Abby said wistfully.

"That's the last thing you need right now Abigail," Ducky replied, chuckling. "Now, you need to rest. I'll go tell the others how you are doing."

Ducky stood up, kissed Abby's hand, then leaned over and kissed her forhead.

Abby smiled. "Love you too, Ducky."

_**1:25 pm **_

Abby was feeling so much better. She now sat indian-style on her bed, Bert in her lap, watching her TV. Nothing was on...just those stupid soap operas. The door knocked and a nurse Abby had never seen before walked in. She was about Abby's height, tiny build, red hair, and kind eyes.

She walked up to the foot of Abby's bed and said cheerfully, "Hello Abby, my name is Liz, and I'm your day nurse. Did you get a meal?"

Abby smiled and nodded. "Yes, I did, and it was great."

Liz smiled and replied, "Good!" She noticed Abby's friend in the bed with her. "Cute hippo!"

"Thanks," Abby said laughing. She picked him up and turned him to face her. "Bert...Liz, Liz...Bert." She tossed him to the nurse, and it farted when she caught it.

Liz laughed at the sound and said to the toy, "Nice to meet you Bert." She tossed it back to Abby who put it on the bed next to her. "I've been told by your doctor that you're able to be taken off your demerol drip."

"So I'll be on pills if I need them?"

"Exactly," Liz said, going to her arm. She pulled off the tape, and removed the needle. It twinged and bled slightly, but a simple bandaid cured it. "You think you're up to a little walk down the halls?"

"Definitely, I could use a change of scenery."

Grabbing Bert, Abby scooted over to the side of the bed and stood up slowly, but there was only the slightest pain in her chest. It took only a couple steps for Abby to regain her balance but she soon was standing straight. As Abby was led out of her room, she turned her head down the hall toward McGee's room. The door was shut, and Abby could see Jimmy sitting in the chair at the far end of the hall. She waved but Jimmy's head and hung over asleep.

Abby's heart dropped as she considered walking down to Tim's room. However, all at once, frightening images flashed through her head. Memories of the beatings he took...that he took for her...and how he looked afterward. She didn't think she'd be able to see him, lying unconscious on that bed with tubes in him everywhere. Not yet.

She turned the other way and began walking. Her muscles her tight and sore, but seemed to loosen up with each step. She took a slow and stead lap around the nurse's station, pausing temporarily to stare out of the window at the moving traffic below. She made the final turn toward her room, glancing back to see if Jimmy was still asleep...he was. Abby cocked her head puzzledly when she saw her door slightly ajar...she had completely shut it when she left.

She carefully pushed the door open and peered through. Her heart leapt when she saw the face of the man she never thought she'd see again.

"Gibbs!" Abby cried, half-running toward him.

Gibbs stood up swiftly, smiling, and took two long strides and he wrapped his arms around her the instant she fell into his chest. Abby's eyes filled with tears, soaking into Gibbs' shoulder as they fell.

"Hey Abby," Gibbs whispered, petting her hair.

"I thought I'd never see you again," Abby said, her face pressed into his shoulder.

"Well, I'm here now. Everything's okay," Gibbs replied, pulling back and wiping away the tears from Abby's face. "Come one, let's get you back into bed."

"No," Abby said, stepping toward the chair. "I've been in that bed long enough." She gingerly sat down while Gibbs perched himself on the edge of her bed.

Abby was torn. She wanted to leap from her chair, hold on to Gibbs and never let go...but also, she wanted to leap up and wring his neck for leaving her. Gibbs was the same way. He, for one, had missed Abby terribly, as he did everyone else on the team; but he had come to separate himself from this life. When he got the call from Tony that Abby and McGee had been kidnapped, he dropped everything without a second thought and caught the first flight back to DC. Now that he was here, there was a slight awkward air between the two of them never before felt.

"How are you feeling?" Gibbs asked.

Abby gave a shuddering sigh. She didn't say anything to Ducky, but after Ziva's visit, Abby had been very troubled.

"Physically, I'm fine Gibbs...I mean, I'm not as much pain anymore, but--" Abby shivered slightly and continued, tears brimming in her eyes. "There's just so much in my head. There's so much that I remember...vividly. I remember every hit, every kick, every word screamed, being alone...seeing Tim all beat up. But what scares me most is what I _don't_ remember."

Gibbs immediately fell from the bed and knelt down on the ground, eye level with Abby, and reached for her hands. He could see the fear in her eyes, and he felt his stomach drop slightly. He knew all too well the empty feeling of not being able to remember what happened to you. The fear of the blank in your mind could be worse than the memory that had slipped away.

He wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace. "Abby, it's going to come back. I promise it will."

Abby tried to fight back her sobs. "What if I don't want them to? Ziva told me what happened, but what if she was sugar coating it. What if she--"

"Abby!" Gibbs said forcefully, snapping her from her hysteria before she started hyperventalating. He cupped her face and wiped away her tears. "Shh, now shh. Breathe Abby, everything's okay." Gibbs pulled Abby into another embrace and she held on tight until she had calmed down and her tears stopped.

Gibbs helped Abby, still slightly shivering, up from the chair and back into her bed. She sat on the edge, her feet dangling off the side, and Gibbs took a seat in the chair.

"So," Abby said, sniffing thickly, "are you back? Are you staying?"

Gibbs sighed sadly, looked down at his feet, then back up to Abby. "For a while...just until you and Tim are better."

"Then your going to leave again?" Abby asked with disbelief, anger beginning to come through.

"Abby," Gibbs said, hating that he was breaking her heart once more, "my life is in Mexico now."

Abby stood up furiously. "Your life is here Gibbs!" she half-yelled, her hands balled into angry fists.

Gibbs opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by the door bursting open and Tony rushing in.

"Abby! Tim just woke up. He's okay!"


	13. All Is Well

Disclaimer: Not mine. Will never will be...I gave up that dream long ago.

A/N: FINALLY! Guys, I am so sorry this took way too long. My laptop died again. But, this is that last chapter, and I thank everyone for their patience and feedback. You guys rock!

* * *

Abby stood in front of McGee's hospital door, fiddling her hands nervously. Several equally strong yet opposing emotions were doing battle in her mind. Abby was so relieved and thrilled that her Tim was awake and well; but at the same time, her breakdown in front of Gibbs still was affecting her. She was afraid that the vivid flashbacks would strike once again as soon as she stepped into the room. 

Her head snapped up and Abby mentally kicked herself. What was she doing? The one man whom Abby loved more than anything else in the world was alive and twelve feet away, and she was really having second thought about going through that door? Abby quickly glanced down both way of the hall to make sure no one, especially Gibbs, could see her. Finding none, Abby raised her un-casted hand behind her head and brought it forward in a self-done Gibbs slap.

Resolved, Abby placed a hand on the door handle and walked into the room. She was greatly surprised to see that McGee was sitting up in his bed. He had an IV demerol drip in his arm and was visibly groggy, his head slightly tilted forward and his eyes closed.

"Tim," Abby whispered happily, her face split in a large grin.

Abby rushed to McGee's side, took seat on the edge of his bed, and reached for his hand. McGee reacted to the touch and he gave a weary grin when he realized he was staring into the eyes of the love of his life.

"Oh, my God," McGee whispered, leaning forward and embracing Abby so tight that he didn't want to dare let go. "You're alive."

Abby held on to him, being careful of his injured ribs. Every memory haunting her consciousness was erased the moment she laid eyes on her McGee, and felt his soft, warm embrace around her body. He was hurt, but he was alive, and he would soon heal back to perfect health. Their life together could continue. Abby pulled back and smiled sadly when she saw tears in McGee's eyes.

"When Jonathan took you away," McGee said, cupping her face as if to prove to himself that she was really there, "I just knew that I would never see you come back through that door alive if I didn't stop him. And when I couldn't save you—God honey, what did they do you? What happened?"

"Shh, Tim, I'm okay," Abby hushed. "I don't remember much—just random, vivid flashes—but, um, all they did was pin me to the floor and yell out the window at Tony. They didn't hurt me again."

"Thank God."

Abby's voice started to break as she continued, "I just remember being so scared when they pulled me out of that room, and you were left in there with Jonathan." Her eyes filled with tears and they fell down her face. "I could hear him in there. I could hear him hitting you, and I couldn't do anything about it. I saw you on the floor when Jonathan came out, and I swear to God Tim, I thought you were dead."

Abby then dissolved into tears and McGee pulled her into him, letting her cry on his shoulder while he petted her hair. Abby's breathing regulated, and she pulled back to wipe away the tears from her face.

"Come here, sweetie," McGee said quietly, gently scooting himself up against the side rails of the hospital bed.

Abby smiled tearfully and she carefully slipped into the bed beside him, happy to feel his arms wrapping around her and holding her tight. She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed contentedly. They both sat there, lost in each other's reflective thought, more than happy to just remain in each other's company.

There was a quiet knock at the door and the doctor walked into the room. He was Abby's doctor was well and they both shared a smile of recognition when they saw each other.

"You're out of bed, I see," the doctor said to Abby, a playful scold in his voice.

Abby looked deliberately about her surroundings. "Not technically, doc," she said with a smirk.

"And how's our patient doing?" he asked, walking to McGee's side of the bed.

"I'm doing okay," McGee said drowsily.

The doctor smiled genially and then proceeded to examine McGee's injuries, his IV, and his vitals.

"Well, Agent McGee," he said cheerfully, "your blood pressure is still a little too low for my liking, but you're showing great improvement, so I'm confident that it wont be a problem. I'm going to keep you on the demerol IV for now until you're able to go on the pain pills."

"How long do you think we're going to have to stay here?" Abby asked.

"Hard to say Abby," he replied. "We're definitely keeping the both of you overnight for more observations and treatment, but we'll see afterwards if you'll need to stay longer."

Abby nodded and leaned her head back against McGee's pillow. The doctor left the room and Abby and Tim both leaned comfortably into each other.

"Abs?" Tim croaked groggily.

"Yeah?" Abby replied, her mouth curling to the tiniest smile at his voice.

"Are you going to stay here with me?"

Abby turned her head slightly and kissed McGee's shoulder. "Of course, baby."

McGee sighed sleepily. "Good. I don't want you to leave me ever again."

"Here," Abby whispered, scooting herself to the side of the bed to get off, "I'll let you have the bed."

"No, no," McGee cried, grasping her wrist gently. "Stay right here. Please."

"Okay, Tim," Abby said, lying back down beside him. "I'll stay."

Abby reached her good hand over across her and took gentle hold of McGee's. She could feel all the tension in his body leave as sleep began to overcome him. Abby pulled the blanket up to cover the both of them, tucking a corner in slightly under his arm, then replaced her head on his shoulder.

"Abs…" McGee mumbled. "I love you."

Abby smiled. She loved it when he said that, and for a while, she thought she'd never hear it again.

"I love you too Tim."

Abby closed her eyes and she felt McGee's steady breaths as he drifted back to sleep. Amidst the pain and discomfort of her injuries, Abby had never felt happier. Things were getting back to normal. She closed her eyes, and Abby soon fell asleep, comfortably nestled in the arms of her Tim. All was well with the world.

* * *

THE END...thanks again 


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